Altered Paths
by Speklez
Summary: After catching Charlotte in a compromising position, Peter decides he's done. He also decides to visit an old friend. Alternating POVs, OOC, Twilight Rewrite. Rated for all the things.
1. Chapter 1

**Yeah, yeah, yeah... I'm starting something new. I'm having issues with everything but Soulless, and if I'm going to avoid getting burnt out on that one, I needs me something fresh. Never fear... it'll have regular updates, and might even give me the kick in the ass I need for Cover Up.**

 **I feel as though I'm cheating you a bit after having posted several chapters that are, on average, over 7,000 words, but... we'll get there.**

 **This timeline falls during Twilight, and I'm gonna be nixing the baseball game. Everything else happens, just not the game, and what followed. So... Bella was never bitten by James.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **~Speklez**

I was become increasingly convinced that a vampire was in fact perfectly capable of getting a migraine. I had my feet kicked up on a table, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the fingers of the other, my head dropped back against the headrest of my chair and my eyes closed. For the last however fucking long, I have been listening to Charlotte harp about this and that. What it was, I had no idea. I stopped listening what felt like hours ago. However, just because I wasn't paying the damnedest bit of attention didn't mean it was as easy to block out the sound of a banshee during mating season. All that harpin' because I got arrested for drunken disorderly after I caught _her_ with someone else.

When I brought my beer to my lips, I actually winced slightly at the shriek that came out of her mouth.

"Are you even listening to me, Peter?"

I swallowed the mouthful of delicious and shook my head. "Not in the slightest." Rolling my head in her direction, I opened my eyes, locking them on hers. "Listen, Sugar. If ya gonna bitch, go bite the ear off the other fella for whatever the fuck you wanna. I really don't care to listen to it anymore. I told ya I was done and I fuckin' meant it. Why you're still here is beyond me."

She huffed. "I am trying to explain, Peter."

I snorted. "Explain what, exactly? Why ya had another man's dick in ya mouth? I ain't really got no need for them linguistics. Ya fucked up. Own it, deal with it, and move the fuck on. I'm gonna drink this beer, prolly have another, and then bounce." Taking a pull from my long neck, I licked my lips. "Not much around here worth my time anymore."

Charlotte bit her lip, her eyes glossing over making me sigh. Here we go with the water works. She fucks up and apparently I'm the one that needs to feel bad about it. If she thought a teary apology was gonna change my mind, she was out of her's.

I just lifted my hand that held my cigarette. "Save it, Char. Nothing you say is gonna undo whatcha did. Get your shit and get out."

Why is it, when a conversation is clearly over, females decide it's nothing more than an intermission and the finality is actually up for debate? I got up to get another beer, and she thought it was a good idea to block my path to the kitchen. I've known the betty for nearly a century, so I _knew_ it wasn't going to be that easy, but damn it; I really wasn't in the mood for this to continue. If I was the kinda guy that put my hands on a female, I would move her, but my mama raised me better than that, and even in death, I wasn't that bad.

She was pushing her luck, though.

Her eyes were still well, but they were black and hard, and I sighed. "You mean to tell me you've never once stepped out on me?"

I crossed my arms. "No, Charlotte; I haven't. And, after 97 years, that shoulda told ya somethin'. Clearly, it didn't, so there ain't nothin' left ta say."

"I'm not leaving, Peter. We can fix this. We can..."

Bending at the waist, I got nose to nose with her, my eyes still bright red from my last meal. "I don't want to." I stayed in that position for a moment longer, making sure she understood my meaning before standing to my full height, a full foot and a half over her head, and looked down my nose at her. "You a whore, Charlotte. Nothin' gonna change that. If you think I don't know 'bout them other times ya stepped out, you outcha damn mind. Just cause I don't say nothin', don't mean I don't know nothin'. You been 'round long 'nuff ta know I know everythin'. I just don't care no more."

Her lips were pressed together in a tight, thin line, and the bottom one quivered slightly. Her body shook in shallow tremors and her voice wavered. "I'm not leaving. This is my house. We wouldn't have it if I didn't push for it, so it's mine."

I was pretty fucking sure I bought it, but all I did was raise a brow. "'Ight. Fair enough." Side stepping her, I headed for the steps instead of the kitchen. She was right. She wanted it, so I bought it when I wouldn't have otherwise. I didn't care for the area so I spent as little time here as I could. I had never been a fan of New York. I much preferred to stay further south. Sure, it had its drawbacks in some ways, but there was way more to do.

The entire way up the steps, she followed, continuing to try to plead a case that had no defence. It would have been comical if it wasn't so fucking annoying. It wasn't even sad, which I was pretty sure was what she was going for. Every word out of her mouth did nothing but grate my nerves and set my teeth on edge. Did she really think a play by play would put her back in my good graces? Fat fucking chance.

There were three doors in the place that were designed to not break under any circumstances, and the one to my office was one of them. So, when I was through the arch way, I didn't even look back as I slammed it closed behind me, a smile coming to my lips at the silence that followed. It wasn't sound proof, but the action seemed to have at least momentarily shocked her into silence.

Rolling my head on my shoulders, I started making the mental list of what all I had to do as I rubbed my hands together. Ordering them in a list of importance, I went to my desk and turned on my laptop. While it was firing up, I broke the lock on the bottom drawer, since I didn't have my keys on me, and pulled out the three file binders that laid inside. Opening them in turn, I set the one I needed on my desk while the other two got set on the shredder for now before I turned my attention to the file I kept. It contained my personal information such as aliases, banking information, social security numbers, house and property deeds, things like that. Flipping through the deeds, I found the one for this place and pulled it out, setting it on the desk for the time being and turned to my computer when it was ready for me.

I've been fucking with bank records for so long it wasn't even a challenge to go in and remove Charlotte from all my accounts, closing all joint accounts, rerouting the money in them back into mine where it belonged, and taking my name off the paid off purchase agreement for the property here in New York and putting Charlotte's on it. Then, just for good measure, I changed the last name on those accounts so she couldn't pull any stupid shit and try to undo it all. I would just have to let Jasper know I finally took him up on his offer to use his surname. Never used it before now because Char and I bounced back and forth between my human last name and hers.

To my knowledge, she didn't know the name Whitlock. Hell, I couldn't say for certain she even knew Jasper's name was Jasper. Char was sired by some little pissant named Herman, or something close to it, so didn't have any connection to him other than me. Since I hardly ever call him anything but Major, that's all she ever knew him as... which was exactly what I wanted. I would need new identification, but that was easy as shit to get.

When that was done, I grabbed the top binder off the printer and pulled out the banking information that was inside. Leaning back in my seat and propping my chin on my palm, I looked at the accounts I set up in her name only and put serious consideration into closing them as well. I would have left them alone, or at least left one of them open, had she not started screaming at me again, thinking she had a place to try and tell me what to do. So, I erased them all and got my money back. She could always sell the fucking house if she needed something.

Printing off some paperwork, I set to work on shredding every last scrap of paper in the other two folders. All of Charlotte's alises, bank accounts, every card that was there that didn't have her actual name, and miscellaneous other shit that had accumulated over time, a spark in my eyes when I got to the marriage bullshit. She could hear the shredder, and it only made her scream louder.

I actually smiled as I pulled out my Zippo and dropped it in the basket, watching it burn for a few minutes, ensuring there was no saving any of it.

Powering down my laptop, I grabbed it and the charger, my file folder, and left the office, passing by Charlotte without second glance and went to 'our' room. I was actually pretty shocked to see her purse sitting on the dresser, and shook my head. Now, a smart person would hide that shit, but clearly, she wasn't that bright. Setting my shit on the dresser, I pulled her wallet out of the bag, and proceeded to snap every card but her ID that was in there into tiny little pieces. She came sliding into the room just in time to watch me crush the cell phone in my hand.

When she bellowed something about that being 'hers', I just grinned. "I bought it, so it mine. Don't really need two phones, though."

I was positive she would be crying were it possible. "You left me nothing?"

I snorted as I picked back up the file and my computer, turning away and heading to the closet. There wasn't anything here I didn't have elsewhere but I wasn't leaving without my hat or boots. Taking a seat on the chair that was in the center of the ridiculous sized closet, I spoke as I pulled on my boots. "Nonsense, ya twit. I left ya plenty. This house, everythin' in it, and ya car." Draping my arms over my thighs, I locked eyes with her. "You chose that other fella. Have him take care a ya. It ain't my job no more." Grabbing the only two things I was taking with me, I snagged my hat off the hook on the inside of the door, unplugged my cell from the charger by the bed, and went to leave, only to have my path blocked once again.

Charlotte looked up at me, her eyes beseeching. "Please, Peter. I don't want him."

I just shrugged and, finally having enough, actually shoved her out of my way. Glancing back at her, I was completely void of all emotion as I looked at her against the wall. "Well, I don't want you."


	2. Chapter 2

It never occurred to me just how long a cross country drive was because I had never made it by myself until now. Dear Lord, it takes forever to get from New York to Washington state. I did make a couple of pit stops though. The first in bumfuck Pennsylvania for an emergency cash pick-up since I didn't have access to my accounts yet, and the other in South Dakota at one of my other properties to get some clothes and a meal, but other than that, it was a nonstop drive. I wasn't sure how long Jasper and his clan hung out in the same place before they left, but it had only been a couple of years since they migrated to northern Washington, so I was positive they were still there.

I been to Carlisle's den he had out there a long time ago, when Jasper first started hanging around with the pixy, so I knew where I was going, and it took me four fucking days to get there. I know vampires in general like to live in the middle of nowhere, but damn. Talk about a one horse town. Stopping at the rundown looking inn, I got myself a room, took a shower, changed my closed, and headed right back out of the tiny ass town.

As I turned into the drive, something told me not to pull all the way up to the house, so I pulled over just inside the tree line, cut the engine, grabbed my hat, and climbed out of my truck.

Settling my hat on my head, I made way up to the massive glass house, but I didn't make it more than halfway to the door before Jasper and another member of the small coven came crashing through one of the front windows. Jerking to a stop, I watched what was probably a mock-fight, but Jasper seemed to be out for blood... venom. Whatever.

Crossing my arms, I watched with a grin on my face for a full minute before I called out to him. "So glad ya gave up the life of a soldier, Major." He pinned down what he now called his 'brother' and his head snapped my direction, his eyes wide, and I grinned wider as I crossed my arms. "Domestication suits ya."

He looked back at whichever other member of the coven he had been fighting with and growled hard before shoving him by the front of his shirt into the gravel drive. Jumping off him, he then turned and started my direction. "Peter. What the hell are you doing here?"

I shrugged. "Was in the neighborhood. On ya six, Major."

Without so much as a pause, he hiked his leg up behind him, catching the stupid bastard that thought to attack from behind in the face, and sent him flying back into the trees on the other side of the drive. Glaring behind him, he muttered 'asshole', and finished closing the distance between us as several others came running out of the house. He shook his head and held out a hand when he was close enough to do so.

I took it and flashed my famous shit-eating grin. "Bad time?"

He snorted and let go of my hand, crossing his arms and turning to the scene behind us. "Timing has never been your strong suit, Pete." He then looked back at me. "Seriously, though. What are you doing here?"

Putting on a face of mock hurt, I clutched my chest. "Ouch, Major. I didn't know I needed a reason ta visit my maker."

He made a face. "You don't, but a heads up might have been a good idea. You have no idea what you kick started by just showing up."

My face flattened. "Major, ya know better than that. There ain't nothin' I don't know, but I ain't all that interested in it. Also, I woulda given ya one had ya not changed your number, Asshole. I could be someplace else and not bearin' witness to ya nonsense with a text message. You ain't shy 'bout sendin' 'em any other time."

His nose wrinkled and his eyes squinted slightly. "Right. I did do that. Well, come on in. They can figure out how to put Edward back together on their own." It was then he looked around, confusion taking over his face and scent. "Where's Charlotte?"

I growled low in my throat, and he blinked. "We ain't gonna talk 'bout her. I need a favor."

His eyes said it literally pained him to swallow his questions, but he did, and I followed him the rest of the way into the house and up the stairs. His little pixy glared at me the moment I walked in and didn't stop until I was out of her line of sight. She truly hated when I was around because her visions didn't include me, so they malfunctioned when I was in the area. She leaned way too heavy on a talent and I found it fucking hysterical. My 'gift' was truly special. I didn't have a scent, and I can't be sensed. As far as supernaturals go, I just don't exist. Made disappearing very, very easy.

Jasper opened a door on the second floor and closed it behind me when I was inside. Giving it a look over, it was pretty easy to figure out this was his little domaine. I doubt Alice used the Confederate Flag in her room designs.

He took a seat on an overstuffed chair and I remained standing. After so long in a car, I couldn't sit if I wanted to. He crossed an ankle on his knee and laced his fingers together over his stomach. "What's the favor?"

Leaning back against the desk behind me, I crossed my arms. "That offer ta use ya surname still on the table?"

His head jerked back. "Sure, if you need it. Don't you have enough names, though?"

I clicked my tongue, looking at the painted flag on the wall. "Char got caught." I saw his eyes go wide from the corner of mine and I shook my head. "Not like that. She fine, or she was when I left. If we bein' honest though, I kinda hope she ain't no more."

He looked at me for a moment before a lightbulb seemed to go off in his head. "YOU caught her." I nodded and he frowned. "That... sucks, Pete." I shrugged and he sighed. "What do you need?"

Considering the question for a moment, I let out a breath through my nose. "The number ta ya guy and a loan. I ain't got that much cash on me."

He sat there for a long minute before he nodded slowly, his eyes crinkled in the corners. "I can do that. It'll take about a week to get it, though. You have that kind of time?"

I snorted. "I ain't got the choice, Major."

A brow slowly slid up his forehead and a grin pulled at his lips. "You locked Charlotte out of the accounts by using my name, and yourself by extension, didn't you?" When I didn't say anything, he chuckled. "Nice. Alright, give me your shit, I'll make a call, and we'll get you set up. Are you staying here while you're in the area?"

I considered saying yes when there was a crash from the floor below us, but I shook my head. "Naw. I got a room at that ridiculous excuse of a inn in town." Then I chuckled. "Unlike your ass, I don't play so well with others no more."

He looked totally and completely offended as he pointed toward the door. "That little fucker started it. Not my fault he ain't capable a finishin' it."

Ah, now there was my Major. Jasper always fell back on his accent when he gets pissed off. I just grinned at him. "Yeah, I bet he did. What happen? He take ya juicebox?"

His face went flat, as did his voice. "Oh, fuck you, Captain."

I winked at him, and he groaned. "I'm 'ight for now. Thanks for the offer, though."

His arm snapped up and he pointed at the door. "Get out. I'll stop by your room for the information later. I have to get ready for school."

My lips pursed and my head slowly tilted to the side. "Beg ya pardon? School?"

He grunted and shook his head as he stood up. "Don't ask. I'll see you later."

I nodded slowly as I took stood the rest of the way up. "Yeah, 'ight."

We separated at the steps and he stopped me before I was halfway down. "Oh, and one more thing." I turned to look up at him, and he leaned his forearms on the railing. "You can't feed here." I cocked a brow and he continued. "There are some pups down by the cliffs that Carlisle made a deal with a while back. If you get hungry, you'll need to head to Port Angeles, which is like... 60 miles from here. Or, you can suck it up and munch some fur."

My hand clamped over my mouth as I audibly gagged at the thought. Waving my other hand, I shook my head. "Port Angeles'll be just fine. I ate not so long ago, so I'm 'ight for now."

He smirked at me and lifted a shoulder. "Suit yourself. You know, it's not so bad once you get used to it."

My lip curled. "Yeah, it is. Y'all g'on and keep on with whatcha doin'. Just don't e'spect me ta join ya at dinner time."

I saw his eyes flicker off to the side quickly before he looked back at me. "You don't feel guilty over it?"

Crossing my arms, I cocked a brow. "Why the fuck would I? Listen, Jazz. You wanna eat Bambi, you go'n and eat Bambi. I ain't gonna say shit about it. I don't eat Bambi. I won't eat Bambi. I eat the hunter. You can also go'n and sit on ya high horse and give me shit all you want, but I ain't the one goin' against what we was made ta do. Just consider this, though. I'm from a time when food was scarce. Had you not made me, I woulda gladly picked ta be a vampire meal over starvin' cause there weren't enough food. Ya got a good idea. Just don't over do it, or you gonna lose that moral high ground real quick when your huntin' leaves them humans with no food a their own. At that point, my teeth an' full belly equates ta bein' a mercy kill."

There was something in his eyes, but he just nodded, tapped his palm against the side of the railing, and stood to his full height. "Alright. I'll see you this afternoon, Peter."

With a single finger, I tipped the brim of my hat, turned, and continued my way down the stairs; where I was again under the meager weight of Alice's glare. I just grinned at her. "Pixy. How the hell are ya?"

Her glare did not lessen. "I can honestly say I've been better. How long do you plan to hang around this time?"

With a chuckle, I crossed my arms. "I dunno. It's a right nice area. Might stay a while." Her face pinched into pure rage, but I just turned away from her, and again tipped my hat, but this time to the lady of the house. "Mrs. Cullen." I gave her an actual smile because I don't know her well enough to have an opinion on her just yet. "You have a lovely home, Ma'am."

She _beamed_. "Why thank you, Young Man. Though the boys like to remodel it more than necessary, I do my best."

I just kept the smile in place. "My Belle of a mama would die all over if she saw this place. She also had a hoard a rowdy boys, and she learned a nice crack on the back a the head was a pretty good equalizer since we was all twice her size and didn't listen for shit ta her tellin' us ta knock it off."

From above my head, I heard Jasper growl before his voice floated down to our ears. "Shut it, Captain!"

I glanced to the ceiling with a shit-eating grin. "Just givin' the little lady a few pointers on how ta handle rambunctious little scamps."

He appeared at the top of the steps with his pissed off face. "Peter, I swear to God."

Ginning right at him, I chuckled. "Ya really shouldn't do that, Major. It ain't nice."

Mrs. Cullen looked between us, and her curiosity seemed to get out of her control. "How do you two know each other?" I looked at her, and she slightly lifted a shoulder. "Jasper doesn't really talk about himself that much. We didn't know he knew anyone when he and Alice found us."

Slowly, I turned and looked at Jasper, and he looked terrified. "Awe, Daddy. Are you ashamed a me?" He just dropped his face into his palm, and I turned back to Mrs. Cullen. "Jasper my sire." She looked a little too interested, and I bowed out as gracefully as I was capable. "We don't talk 'bout it, and trust me, Ma'am, ya don't wanna know." Walking backwards toward the door, I glanced back at Jasper. "See ya later, Major."

He gave me the finger and I left. There had to be something to occupy my time until, and I cannot believe I am actually saying this, Jasper gets out of school.


	3. Chapter 3

What the hell do people DO in this town?

I spent my morning binge drinking and dodging calls from Charlotte, but that was only entertaining for like an hour. By early afternoon I basically had cabin fever and went for a walk around the place, and found out they literally had nothing to do here. There wasn't even a movie theater. There was a shopping center, but it was nothing but a sport store, a clothing depot, and food market. This place was fucking ridiculous. I would _almost_ take Charlotte's company over this shit.

Almost, but not quite.

It was creeping in on one in the afternoon when I just couldn't take it anymore. I left my room and headed for the hospital where I knew I would find Carlisle. It was more out of courtesy to avoid a confused confirmation call than it was me going to ask for permission when I hunted him down. He was pretty shocked to see me, too, with the way he jumped when he came around the corner for a page of his name and saw my leaning against the intake desk. He signaled me to follow him, and I did. It wasn't until we were out of human sight he questioned me on why I was there.

I just crossed my arms. "See, it like this. You gonna do whatever it is you gotta do ta spring Jasper from that hell hole before I go stark ravin' mad and kill half this town. I mean, sweet baby Jesus; what the hell do y'all do 'round here?"

He looked way accommodating after that bit about killing poor, defenseless humans. He leaned against the wall, slipped his hand in the pockets of his white coat, and pulled out a cell phone. "If those are the only two choices, I would be happy to make a call. To answer your question, all but Esme and I go to school for the day, I come here, and Esme cleans up the mess the boys make overnight while the house is empty."

My lip curled of its own accord. "Y'all do know ya ain't humans no more, right? Like... ain't a one a been one in a while."

There was a chuckle in his throat that sounded just a little too condescending for my tastes, but seeing as I was there to blackmail him into doing me a favor, I let it go as he started talking. "I can understand how it might seem strange to someone else, but it works well for us." Then he looked at me like my daddy used to when I was about to get my ass whooped, and I crossed my arms as a dig he had no business making came out of his mouth. "I hope you haven't come here to mess up the life Jasper has worked so hard at."

I beg your fucking pardon?

I didn't even care to hold back the dark, pissed off growl that was born from that statement. I'll let most shit go cause I just don't care enough about words to let them get to me, but one thing you don't do it talk to me about my sire like you know our relationship. Jasper and I walked the flames of Hell together for a long fucking time, and we beat Satan himself a time or two. He wants a peaceful existence now, and I was more than overly inclined to let him do whatever the fuck he wanted to do.

But, this mother fucker didn't have the right. He might play daddy, but he was the farthest thing from family to Jasper, and if he thought he was gonna skate with that shit, he was out of his fucking mind.

Carlisle took a half step back when I glared at him. "Ya don't know me, Cullen, so ya get that one fuck up. Let me make this shit real clear for ya... what Jasper does is his business. I ain't in the business a tellin' him what ta do. He happy, and that's all that matters. He has, not had, _has_ a lot a issues that been tamed down since he began pal'in' 'round with y'all. If what ya offer help the man, I ain't gonna say shit. Ta be clear, though. I'm from the south, and unlike the rest a yer _coven_ , I know you know what that actually means."

I saw a spark ignite in his eyes when I stressed coven and didn't call them his family before those golden beacons flickered to my arms; and I just waited. Jasper took to wearing long sleeves a long time ago, shortly after I busted him out of the gates of Hell, not liking the attention the scars brought. I never did, because they just don't bother me. They are also a great deterrent for those cocksuckers that like to pick fights where they shouldn't. It was the difference between coven life and nomadic life. Covens weren't fucked with because they normally had numbers. Nomads lived by a completely different set of rules, and survival of the fittest was a thing.

I have a very impressive amount of scars on my arms, mostly defensive wounds from little babies that didn't know their heads from their ass. We never counted, but because of Jasper's gift, shit didn't usually get as far as it got with me. I didn't care. I liked to fight. It was fun and a great stress reliever.

I watched as he shuddered and looked back at me. "You said this morning at the house he was your sire. So... was he..."

I just grinned when he trailed off. Neither of us actually talked about where we came from. It wasn't exactly a bedtime story, and the past proved, repeatedly, that as soon as you bring up being in a vampire army, people stopped listening and started running. I wasn't wholly surprised to find out they didn't know his origins, nor was I shocked he never told them he had any childe. My voice carried a chuckle that sent a visible tremor down Carlisle's spine. "The Major might be a bit tamed these days, but I ain't. If ya fuck 'im, Hell will be a cakewalk when I done with ya." Leaning closer, I grinned wider as I felt my eyes change. "I won't just kill ya, I'll fuckin' abliderate everyone you've ever known 'fore I come fer you."

Carlisle cleared his throat, played with his phone for a moment, and put it to his ear. "I understand." I really doubted it, but I didn't say anything as he spoke into the device. "Yes, hello. This is Dr. Carlisle Cullen. I'm calling to ask that you please excuse Jasper Hale for the remainder of the day. One of his cousins got into town this afternoon." I cocked a brow and he held up a finger. "Thank you, Ma'am. He'll be picked up shortly."

I waited until he hung up before I snorted. "Cousin?"

Carlisle lifted a shoulder and replaced his phone in his coat. "Would you rather I told them what amounts to his son showed up and was threatening to level the town if he wasn't excused from biology?"

I actually put a little bit of thought into that before I shrugged. "I'da been happy ta make ya not a liar."

He actually gave a small grin. "And that is why while you're here, you're cousins. Jasper should be waiting for you by the time you get to the school. And, may I suggest contacts while you're here as well? Unless you can explain your eye color."

Turning away from him, I chuckled. "Sure can." Glancing over my shoulder, I locked my freshly fed red eyes on his amber ones. "Contacts."

*X*

Pulling my truck to a stop at the curb by the front entrance, I left it running as I got out and went to head inside. I don't remember if I actually went to school or not, but I learned enough about it over the years to be genuinely curious as to why anyone would willingly spend their afterlife always going to one school or another. I mean, I have a handful of degrees in various fields, but high school over and over again? What was the point of that? I took night and online courses at college when I got bored, not attempt to relive my hayday.

I knew most of the coven wasn't that old when they were changed and would never look like an adult, but Jasper wasn't one of them. He was 20 when he was turned, so how he passed as a teenager was beyond me. Also, it made me thankful everyday I was in my mid-twenties when I was turned. Being an adult for the rest of eternity was a far cry better than this eternal teenage bullshit. I couldn't imagine being stuck in that age group until the day I died.

Sure, the change made me look a couple of years younger than I actually was, but there was no mistaking the fact I was grown. I was twenty-six when Jasper bit me, and even with the fountain of youth that is vampire venom, I looked the ripe old age of twenty-four. Meant I actually got to be an adult, and that meant I got to drink when and where I wanted without a single strange look, but most importantly, I didn't have to go to school if I didn't want to.

At the school, I would have been perfectly fucking happy just going inside, grabbing Jasper, and leaving, but my attention was pulled away from my task to what sounded like a very heated argument about... me.

Now, can't just walk away from something like that, can I?

Redirecting myself, I went between the buildings, following the sound of voices, and found Edward and this little slip of a brunette squaring off and, from where I was standing, the girl looked like she was about to kick a vampire in the nuts. I would have egged her on if it wouldn't have absolutely ended in a series of broken bones. Or, I could have offered to do it for her, but from where I was standing, she certainly looked like she could handle her business. She struck me as creative enough to figure out how to inflict whatever kind of pain she wanted, and I wasn't one to take something like that away from a lady.

If it escalated much further, or that little bastard snapped at her like that again, I'd tear his ass the fuck apart.

Leaning on my shoulder at the corner of the building, I crossed my arms and ankles, just listening to the back and forth. The girl apparently didn't think it was so bad I was in town, telling him Jasper had every right to his actual family around, and if he could control his thrust around her, I could too. She caught him a good one when she told him if I ate humans then she wasn't anything special, and if I had been there as long as I have and no one died, it wasn't the end of the world when I wasn't going to be staying long.

And, apparently, Edward full heartedly disagreed for some bullshit reason that made absolutely no sense... to either me or her.

After about thirty seconds it became the equivalent of watching a wall ball match because Edward put his proverbial foot down, or so it seemed. He wouldn't let her get a word in edgewise, and anytime she tried, he growled at her.

The moment he started yelling at the betty, I cleared my throat quite loudly, and didn't do a damn thing to fight off a smirk at the way yet another vampire narrowly avoided shitting his pants at the discovery of another vampire in such close proximity. The girl also jumped a mile in the air, but from my position, it wasn't until Edward grabbed her arm when she wasn't looking. Clearly, of the two of them, she was used to nightwalkers popping out of the woodwork, and it was something of old news to her now whereas Edward hadn't been snuck up on a day in his afterlife.

I glanced back and forth between them before looking at Edward, who I was pretty sure was trying to come off as intimidating, but honestly, he just looked like he had to take a big old horse shit. I didn't lost the grin, and I had amused myself, so it came out in my voice. "Oh, don't stop on my account. G'on and continue talkin' shit, Boy. See how long I letcha." He growled at me and I snorted. "You a right scary little beast, ain'tcha, Kid? Look at me over here, all but shakin' in my boots as I quiver in fear."

The little shit head snapped his teeth at me. "What are you doing here?"

I grinned wider, cause he was proving fun to play with. "Funny thin' 'bout that. I was just here ta pick up Jasper, and I hear my name. Thin' 'bout _that_ is... I don't recall tellin' y'all my name. Now, I don't care 'boutcha little human. I ate 'fore I got here and I'm fine 'til I leave. I truly and honestly, could not care less 'bout y'all breakin' the law. Them Italian fuckers ain't gonna come down on me _when_ they find out 'bout that little lady right there. They gonna come down on you, ya daddy, an' _her._ "

It was then the little lady joined the conversation. She looked at me for a moment before she looked at a glaring Edward. "What is he talking about, Edward?"

He kept his glare on me when he answered her. "Nothing, Love."

My face went flat, and so did my voice. "Aww, now you just lyin' on the girl, and that ain't right; not when her life on the line." Hearing Jasper call my name behind me, I looked over my shoulder to see him standing in the middle of a sidewalk, confusion on his face, and I held up a finger before turning back. Pushing myself off the wall, I looked at the human. "If ya want answers, an' he won't give 'em, come find me and I'll tell ya. I'll be 'round for a few more days."

I didn't give either of them a chance to say anything else before I turned and walked away.

Jasper gave me his best stern face, but his eyes were alight with humor. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

Grinning with a chuckle, I shrugged. "Not when they make so damn easy."


	4. Chapter 4

Two days passed since I showed up in Forks, and during that time, I had been pushed to the edge of my tolerance for humanity. I was gaining the impression these particular humans weren't used to others spending any extended amount of time here if they didn't live here. Seemed more of a rest stop than a vacation destination, so when a new face popped up more than once, it was like feeding time at the damn zoo. People stopped and stared, whispering among themselves over what someone could possibly be doing there, and I found myself wondering the same fucking thing.

Too much time around humans was not good for me these days, and I was about twelve hours away from a very public murder just for something to do. This little shit hole didn't even have a bar, so I would actually have to travel to find some trouble to get myself into because, honestly, a murder rap was actually pretty hard to get out of. Probably not here, but normally anyhow. Also, it was probably better to avoid something like that because I was told there were dogs in the area, and honestly, squaring off with a shifter wasn't high on my list of enjoyed pastimes.

I was getting really fucking close, though.

Three days... three days and I could leave after cutting Jasper a big fat fucking check to pay him back for my papers I was able to talk him into putting a rush on. For whatever reason, the very real promise of death and destruction got shit done when dealing with this coven. There was a time when I would say something like that to Jasper, and he would get pissy because I didn't ask him to help. Now, I make the same statement, and he's all over doing what was necessary to make sure I didn't.

That coven was ruining my daddy, the bastards.

It only cut off two days of waiting, but it was better than spending a full week in this place. Jasper once called this place a vampire's paradise, but it was only that because we could go out during the day. Other than that, this place was Hell. I didn't mind living in the dark, because there was shit to do. Even at night there was crap for entertainment. Here? Here all you could do was, apparently, go to school.

They didn't even get the good porn on pay-per-view.

I was currently channel surfing drinking a beer. Not sure where most of the day went, but it was getting close to twilight when there was a knock on my door and I grinned. Took her longer than I thought. I figured she would be by same day, but I guess she enjoyed fighting with the mindfuck.

Setting my beer down, I rolled off the bed and strolled across the room to opened the door. Leaning on the door jam when it was open, I crossed my arms with my shit eating grin in place. "Well, now; I was startin' ta wonder if you was ever gonna stop by."

Edward's human stood with her head down slightly, her body language clearly telling me she was both uncomfortable, as well as a little scared, but her scent said it wasn't fear of me. Odd little thing, she is. I guess she really _didn't_ think the fact I ate humans was all that big of a deal.

Sle looked to either side before looking at me, and licking her lips. "I uh... I don't know why I'm actually here."

Moving out of her way, I went back into my room, leaving it up to her if she was going to come in or not, and picked back up my beer as I looked back at her. "Sure ya do, Sugar. You wanna know what that boy a yer's won't tell ya."

She again looked around, but did come inside and closed the door behind her while she shook her head. "No, he told me about the Volturi; probably so I didn't come ask you. But, the whole conversation was like pulling teeth, like he didn't actually want to tell me. So, is it true? Are the Cullens really in danger because of me?"

Taking a pull of my beer, I sat down on my bed, and draped my arms over my thighs. "Not all a 'em, but yeah. See, humans ain't normally 'ight with this and believe it or not, humans are actually dangerous ta us on a large 'nuff scale. One here and there ain't all that bad, but the wrong humans find out, an' there can be some big issues for us. That's why ya ain't supposed ta know, and why those that do are normally killed, and the ones that told are too 'cause them fuckers proved they can't be trusted. So, so long as you alive, them two lookin' at death. It ain't nothin' personal; just the way it is."

She seemed more deflated than she was a moment ago. "So as long as I'm alive..." She trailed off and I waited to see where she was going to take that. When she continued, she still wouldn't make eye contact with me. "Edward said it will never come to that."

I snorted. "That boy sure like ta live with his head in the clouds, don't he? I'm here ta tell ya, Sugar, it can, and it will. Nothing like this stays a secret forever. Them Italians gonna find out. It only a matter a time. Best case, they give ya time ta be turned. Worse case, they kill ya where ya stand. There ain't really a inbetween with 'em."

It was then she finally looked at my bright red eyes, and through she cringed slightly, she held them. Good girl. "Edward said..."

I cut her off as I stood for another beer. "Edward says a lot for a dumb fuck. I know them guys across the way. I'm damn good buddies with some of 'em, and that's how I can tell ya with without doubt your ass knee deep in shit. They don't fuck 'round, Little Lady, and they don't give no one a second chance ta fuck up. Look," grabbing out two beers, I held one out to her, shrugged when she shook her head, and opened mine.

"I ain't got skin in the game, Darlin'. It ain't my ass on the line over this shit. I don't rightly give a damn one way or the other how them chips gonna fall when they do. Ya aint got no reason ta believe a word that come out my mouth, either. I could be tellin' some complete bullshit, or I could be tellin' ya the truth. You the only one that can decide ta believe me or not. Ya seem like a doll. I like that 'boutcha, so I'm here ta tell ya, ya got yaself in one helluva fucked up situation, Sugar. I can't understand why the Major let ya, but then again, he do a lot these days I don't understand." Pausing and shaking my head at the thought of eternal high school, I continued. "Talk ta Jasper. He won't lie ta ya."

A frown settled on her face and she crossed her arms as she plopped down hard on the chair by the window. "Jasper is why I'm here talking to you. I wasn't going to come, but after Edward told me about the Volturi, I told him to change me, to make sure they didn't get in trouble because of me. They all agreed not to after Carlisle said it wasn't necessary because he's really good friends with Aro and Aro would never force the issue. When I went to go home, Jasper caught me at the end of the drive. He said I didn't have all the information, but he couldn't give it to me; only you could because there wasn't a conflict of interest on your part."

Rolling my head back and forth on my shoulders, I licked my lips and nodded. "He ain't wrong. He gotta keep the peace. I don't." Looking her dead in the eyes, I clicked my tongue. "That ain't why you here, though. Spit it out, Sugar."

I watched as she played with her fingers, something I was learning was one of her ticks when she was nervous. Her eyes dropped to the floor and darted around the carpet. She was acting like she was about to drop a bomb of epic size, but when her dark eyes locked back on mine, she was wrong. "I... I want you to bite me." I cocked a brow as I brought the bottle in my hand to my lips and when I said nothing in lieu of drinking my beer, she finished her thought. "If I'm bitten, they're no longer living on borrowed time, and they don't have to feel guilty over ending my human life. And..." she cleared her throat, shifting slightly, "you get a snack to finish tiding you over until you can leave. Everyone wins."

Finishing my beer, I licked my lips and pointed a finger at her. "No." Every last ounce of wind left that girl's sails, and I set the bottle down. "You ain't got a single idea what you askin', so let me give the run down here, Sugar Britches. Startin' with the bite, you lookin' at three days a walkin' through Hell. After you wake up from that, you lookin' at eighteen months a seclusion, six more after that a supervision 'round humans. We now two years inta ya new life, and only now is you able to see a human and not wanna kill it. The next two an' a half ta three years is spent teachin' ya the rules, and how ta survive on ya own if ya choose not ta stay with me. This only the beginnin', too.

"Now we move on ta what ya lose. Ya can't see, talk, or even let ya family or friends know you alive or they lookin' at the situation you currently in, and that's assumin' you even keep ya memories which don't always happen. Some babies wake up and not even remember they name. Alice a prime example a that. I'll never tell the bitch 'cause I don't like her, but her name Margaret Brandon, not Mary Alice Brandon. Mary Alice her sister."

Bella looked away, and I sighed. "What did ya think was gonna happen here? You was gonna make the change and wake up the same as ya is now, only immortal? That you gonna wake up, go an' knock on they door, and they jus gonna welcome ya back with open fuckin' arms? Nuh, uh, Sugar Britches; not at all."

She looked like I kicked her puppy. "No one told me that."

I scratched my temple. "I get the impression they don't tell ya a lot." Clicking my tongue, I crossed the room and took a seat on the bed facing her. Lacing my fingers together between my knees, I let out a breath and cocked my head to the side. "There a reason no one asks for this. Ain't a one a us want it. It was forced on us by someone else. We learn ta live with it, but that don't mean we like it. It ain't somethin' ta ask for in kneejerk ta somethin' else, Darlin'. Let's make that shit clear right now."

She looked up at me, and I wrinkled my nose. I didn't like the look she was giving me. It was pathetic and beseeching, a combination that was like a fucking knife that always finds its fucking mark. Running my fingers hard across my lips, I growled too quiet to for her to hear before I gave her the rules to the game she apparently wanted to play with her life. "I leave in three days. You think, an' I mean _think_ 'bout it, and if you still want me ta bitecha, I will, but you gotta understand that means you mine for the next five years at least, and I don't feed on animals." I made sure she was looking me in the red eyes for that last part, and watched as that piece of information sunk in.

Again, she went back to playing with her fingers. "That doesn't mean I can't."

I cocked a brow. "It sure as fuck does, actually. I ain't gonna change my life for no one. Since I'm gonna be the one feedin' ya, I decide whatcha eat. Like I said before, you better think long and hard 'fore you decide ya actually want this. I raise vampires, not faires."

I didn't think someone could actually look that offended, but look at her proving me wrong. "That's not fair. Just because they choose to not kill humans doesn't make them any less of a vampire for trying to be good."

Standing up, I gave an exaggerated shrug. "Think whatcha want, Sugar, but you the one askin' me for a favor. We do this my way, or we don't do it. What they eat might sustain 'em, but you know how long it takes to get that kind a control? Jasper been on the diet for 60 years, and he wanna eatcha, every time he sees ya. You hurtin' them, and ya just don't see it. Or ya don't care. I'm not sure which way that goes, but you our natural food source, Human. You can fool yourself all ya want, but you ain't gonna pull me into that fucked up delusion, not when you the one that came to me."

I smelled the salt before her eyes started to water. "But they would never take me back."

Time for the truth bomb. Crossing my arms, I let my voice level out. "They ain't gonna do that anyway, Sugar. You 'member how you told me Jasper sent ya ta me because I had information he couldn't give ya?" She nodded. "This that information. It ain't gonna matter if you eat Bambi from day one and never even sniff at the neck of a human. They ain't never gonna take ya back no way, no how; not with me as ya sire."

She sniffled and swallowed hard. "Why would that matter?"

Tapping my finger on my arm, I hummed as I thought about the best way to explain that answer. There wasn't really a good one, so I went with blunt. "It'll be my venom that runs through ya veins. It'll change the way ya smell, the way ya think, the way ya react ta all kinds a shit. That, though, is secondary to the fact that the bond between sire and childe is a strong one. There always gonna be a... relationship there, and nothing but death can sever it. That one a the reasons all my babies are dead. I killed my own kids to sever that bond cause where I'm from, it needed severed. Here a history lesson for ya, Dolly. Jasper bit me over a century ago, and I still come ta him when I'm in trouble, just like now. I came ta him cause I knew without knowing he would do what he could ta help. As for you, they ain't gonna be the ones ya turn to in times a crisis. I will cause on a instinct level, you gonna know I'm the best protection. You'll call me, and I'll always come. You'll need me, and I'll always be there. You'll come ta me, and I'll kill any mother fucker on ya tail. So is the job of a Sire. It don't end with the newborn phase. It lasts till death." When the first tear rolled down her cheek, I sighed. "I said I would give ya answers. I never said they were pretty."

She cleared her throat and shook her head slowly. "No, you didn't. This is... a lot."

I nodded. "It is, which is why you really need ta think it through, and three days ain't a lot a time ta do it. Ya need ta figure out if ya actually want ta be a vampire, or if it's just kneejerk cause you worried 'bout the Volturi. I ain't got a single problem turnin' ya. Your human life don't mean shit ta me. Thin' is though, you gotta understand I'll be all ya got when ya wake up." I grunted and added on to that. "And Jasper, but that connection only cause ya got me as a sire."

Slowly, she stood up, and turned toward the door. When her hand touched the knob, she looked at me over her shoulder. "Thank you for being honest with me."

I dipped my head and she left, so I pulled out my phone and called Jasper. I didn't even give him time to say a word when he answered. "You a asshole."

He chuckled in my ear. " _So, how'd it go?"_

I snorted. "She showed up with some half-ass plan and piss-poor explanation on why it would work for everyone that I shot down like the asshole I am."

" _How did she take it?"_

I sighed and sat down. "As well as one can, I suppose. That little bastard don't tell that girl shit, do he?"

" _Nothing of any importance. I listened to his halfass explanation of the Volturi, and she honestly has no idea what kind of actual danger she's in because of some old friendship between Carlisle and Aro. What he failed to mention is, when it comes to exposure, Aro would kill his own coven. I mean, he killed his blood sister over Marcus, if I remember my history right."_

I snorted. "An' we both know ya do. How long you think it'll be 'fore she realizes he ain't got no plans a ever changin' her?"

" _That human is so far under his thumb, I doubt she ever will. Anytime she ever has the audacity to have a thought of her own, he squashes that shit like a bug beneath his shoe."_

My lip curled. "He charms her? That ain't right."

" _No, it isn't. Now do you see why I told her to talk to you? That hard headed little bitch doesn't listen when it comes to Edward. Today was the first time I've ever heard her actually stand up to him like that."_

I set the phone between my ear and shoulder, opening another beer. "Then why the fuck you think she gonna listen ta me?"

His voice took on a slightly different tone, and one I knew very well. " _Because you're an unbiased outsider with no perceived reason to lie. Rosalie and I have been trying to get her to see past the lure, but she's either the most dense human on the plant, or she's been completely brainwashed. Considering the fact I know her to actually be quite intelligent, I'm betting the latter."_

Pausing with the mouth of my beer bottle against my lips, I froze. Now, that little lady needs to take a few lessons from my maker over how to drop a bomb. Slowly lowering my hand, I glanced at myself in the mirror, watching the color leech from my eyes as a quiet growl rumbled my throat. "I beg ya fuckin' pardon?" That kind of shit was done, but it was used on what amounted to nothing more than a pet.

He didn't sound any happier than I was. " _You heard me. I hope you were able to talk some sense into her, Peter."_

Clicking my tongue, I growled harder. "This shit right here is why communication so fuckin' important, Major. You send someone here lookin' for a daddy, that one thin', and handled one way. You sendin' me a pet is quite a fuckin' 'nother, and might a been good ta know before hand, ya jackass. I woulda handled it differently!"

Oh... I was pissed.

He actually sounded affronted. " _You told her no? Why?"_

Getting a little louder, I barked at him. "Cause I thought she was askin' for the wrong damn reasons, Fucktard. I sent her on her way after tellin' her ta think about it, ta make the choice for the right reason, but she ain't gonna be capable a that. Look, I don't mind cleanin' up messes for ya, Jazz; but this shit? This ain't a mess. This a goddamn blast from the past you _know_ I don't play. Why the fuck wouldn't ya tell me what the hell been goin' on?"

" _I didn't think it would matter after seeing the display at the school the other day."_

I snarled slightly. "You mean when I was fuckin' 'round ta get a rise out the boy? Where your common sense at, Jasper?" Raking my hand roughly through my hair, I sighed hard. "There ain't nothin' else I can do here, Major. I ain't gonna force my teeth in her neck, now. That ain't no fuckin' better. I gave the girl three days. If you convince her ta come ta me 'fore I leave, I'll keep the promise I made her. If not..." Looking to the ceiling, I shook my head with a sigh. "The door always open. She can come ta me anytime."


	5. Chapter 5

There are things in life you just don't expect.

The vast majority of the time I spent waiting for my new paperwork was spent outside the town. I went up to Seattle for the day yesterday because it was sunny here, spent time doing stupid shit, and basically going out of my damn mind. I knew there was absolutely no way, in any life, I would ever come back to this place, I didn't give a damn who was here. Yeah, I liked my sire alright, but he wasn't worth putting up with this level of boredom.

I was so out of my mind, I actually spoke to Charlotte once, just for something to do. She wanted to know where I was, and when I was coming back so we could 'work things out' because you 'don't just throw away a century of memories'. The stupid betty still didn't seem to understand that I wasn't the one that threw them away, she was, and I was done with her bullshit. I had zero desire to 'work things out' and I was pretty sure I would sooner die than try.

What I didn't know was, no sooner than hanging up with her there would be a frantic banging on my inn room door, or that I would open it and come face to face with an absolutely devastated human. I knew I was gonna see her again before I left, but in no way was I expecting her to show up like this. This wasn't like the last time she stopped by for a visit and she was _just_ upset. Something happened to her over the last 36 hours, and it fucking crushed her.

With tears tracking rivers down her cheeks, her voice was hitched and heavy. "I really need to talk to you."

I blinked a couple of times in rapid fire, but did move to the side so she could slip into the room. Once she was in, I poked my head out, looking around quickly before closing the door. Leaning against it, I crossed my arms and watched her pace the floor, her arms loosely held around her chest, the tears still flowing. Now, I know a thing or two about being in fucked up positions, but this was clearly a rock and a hard place scenario. I did actually want to know what was wrong, but I sure as fuck didn't want her to cry harder.

So, instead, I kept my damn mouth shut, letting her get herself through the worst of whatever it was, and decided to just wait her out. No one was going to interrupt, so there was no need to hurry her along. Wasn't a single hair off my ass if the little lady skipped school. It was Friday anyway, so fuck it, right?

She paced the small space between the dresser and the foot of the bed for a good five minutes before she scrubbed her face with her hands, gulping, sniffling, and finally, looking at me. Her eyes were so bloodshot you almost couldn't tell her eyes were actually brown, because they were nearly as red as mine were.

I didn't know what to do in these kinds of situations. I haven't been a human in longer than I was one, and times and humans were so different, I honestly wasn't sure how to handle the look in her eyes. Rolling one shoulder slightly to try and get the tightness out of my neck, I finally left my place at the door, slipped past her, and went to the bathroom. Grabbing the roll of toilet paper and getting the girl a glass of water, I went back into the room, I handed her the glass and set the toilet paper on the dresser next to her before taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

Pulling her to stand between my knees, I dipped my head and looked up at her, catching her eyes. When she sniffled slightly again, I smiled at her. "If ya tell me what the matta is, I can try'n help ya fix it." Sure, I had my own shit going on, but I just don't do well with the level of upset females.

She gave herself another moment, drinking the glass of water I gave her before she cleared her throat and started talking and, the more than came out of her mouth, the more I have regrets on sending her away before.

"You told me to think, so that's what I was doing, and at first, I was like, if I can't be with Edward, then I don't want to be a vampire. What would be the point since the biggest reason I want to be turned was so I could be with him forever? If that was off the table, I would just stay human until he changed his mind. With that decided it was over and done with, right? No need to come back because you said I had until you left to decide and I think you probably would have assumed my mind was made when you went to leave without me actually saying 'hey thanks for considering it, but I'm good here. Have a good trip and I'll see you if see you."

She shook her head and cleared her throat before she continued. "Now, because it's been sunny for two days, I haven't seen a lot of Edward. Then, early this morning, like three am early, I was woke up because I had to pee and the thought popped back into my head. At first I was all like, yeah, my decision is the same, but then... it was like out of nowhere, and what I was thinking about when it came to this changed, and it had nothing to do with him."

It was then her voice shook and her lips began to quiver. "Since we met there hasn't been a lot of separation, never usually more than a few hours, and it's been almost since I left here before I haven't seen him because my dad has been home so he won't come over because since it's sunny the drapes are open and there is a lot of natural light in my house, and he doesn't want me over at their house because he doesn't know if or when you're going to show up, and he doesn't want me near you because you eat humans."

I couldn't help it. I snorted despite the situation she was describing. "Course he don't, but it ain't got shit ta do with how I eat. Of the eight vampires in this town, Sugar, I'm the only one you actually safe ta be close to. It's like you told him the other day, the blood in ya veins ain't nothin' special to me. His panties in a bunch 'cause I ain't one he can fuck with, and I don't play his little bullshit games. He don't want me ta see the shit he been pullin' cause he know I'll knock his ass so far inta next week, he'd be stuck there waitin' fer time ta catch up."

She ran the back of her hand under her nose and whined in her throat. "So he did do something to me."

God.

Damn.

It.

Though pressed together, my lip curled a bit as I leaned back on the bed, propping myself on my hands. Looking at her, I could tell she knew the answer, which was why it was said as statement, but I didn't not confirm it. She was coming out from under the lure's weight, and maybe if she knew, she could stop herself from going back under all the way. I highly doubted it, but maybe.

Licking my lips, I glanced off to the side for a moment before I looked back at her. "Yeah, Sugar. It called the Lure. It our greatest asset, and a human's greatest curse. Y'all humans can fight it off for bit, but not for long. It used ta get control a our prey so they don't fight. Not somethin' I can imagine needin' ta be use since he don't eat humans."

Whatever devastation she felt gave way to horror as she took a half step back like I physically struck the girl. Her eyes were slightly wider and her lips were parted, but her voice was what got me. "So what was he doing with it?"

There was zero nice way to phrase it, either. "He madeja a pet."

The glass in her hand hit the floor, shattering on impact, and both her hands went up to cover her mouth. There wasn't a whole lot of room behind her, so she hit the back of her foot pretty damn hard on the dresser, making the lamp nearly fall over. I could smell the blood from the cut she gave herself on a splinter of wood, but that easy to ignore when I _heard_ her stomach roll, and I was only just fast enough to get her over a trash can before she puked. Leaving her side and back before she knew I was gone, I replaced the broken glass for one with water in it.

Moving her hair out of the way, I wrapped it around my wrist and clamped my hand on the back of her neck. I was a walking ice pack to a human, so I didn't really need to use a cold cloth or anything like it. With my free hand, I snagged the toilet paper off the dresser, tore off a few sheets, and tucked it in the back of her sock over the small knick of skin she lost to the bottom of the dresser. Sure, she smelled good, but, it would take way more than what amounted to little more than a paper cut to set me off.

What struck me was, she didn't even react to the fact she knew she cut herself in front of a vampire. She didn't try to push me away from her. She didn't try to pull herself away from me. She stayed right where she was, all but tucked into my chest, as she heaved into a trash can.

She retched three times before she quit, but she didn't pick her head up right away. Just took the water I gave her and rinsed her mouth out. After she set the glass back down, she pulled at her hair, indicating she wanted it back, but still didn't move much when it let her go, just looked at me from the corner of her eye. "Open my backpack."

I cocked a brow at her, but did as told. Behind me, I could hear her spitting and trying to get the taste of her mouth, but I was focused on the package that had Jasper's name on it I pulled out of the pack she had dropped by the bed. It was already open, so I just dumped it out, finding all the shit I had I been waiting not so fucking patiently for. Searching through it to see what was there, what was still needed since this was short notice, and what needed redone since it was rushed, I only glanced back at the human that was finally looking less pale. "Where didja get this?"

She shifted her position as she shrugged and sat back on her ankle, finally putting some pressure on the cut she gave herself. "I went to talk to Carlisle, to ask him about why it seemed like my thoughts were changing so drastically when Edward wasn't around. No one answered the door, and that was sitting on the porch. I called Jasper since it was addressed to him, and he told me to open it. When I told him what was inside, he then asked if I could drop it off to you on my way to school because everyone was out hunting for the day and he knew how much you wanted to get out of here. Since it was there, and so was I, he said there wasn't any reason to make you wait until he got back when I could just drop it off on my way to school."

Even if it didn't look like it, I listened to every word she said. I found it odd, with as upset as she was when she got here there was no question on Jasper's part what was wrong, but I would give the benefit of the doubt she just left that part of the conversation out of her recount.

While she was talking, I had looked back inside the bigger package and pulled out the second envelope. Ripping the flap open, this one not getting dumped, I looked inside it. Digging around at bottom, I pulled out the card that was in there. Looking at it, I nodded at her, but spoke looking at the ID in my fingers. "You decide whatcha wanna do yet?"

I cut my eyes to her when she didn't say anything, and she seemed to have folded into herself. That boy sure did a fucking number on her mind, didn't he? This should be an easy question. Do you, or don't you, and here she is, subconsciously terrified to make a choice she knows will piss off the little fuckface.

Bad things were in that boy's future... I was going to make sure of it.

Her eyes were mostly clear though when she looked at me. "I don't want to be here when he gets back. I know he'll just redo whatever it was he did, and you said it can't be fought off for long. That's means I'll know he's messing with how I think, and not be able to do anything about it. I'm not okay with that. I didn't even know he was doing it. I don't think I ever would have noticed if you hadn't told me to think because I wouldn't have really paid attention to what I was thinking. It's just... I don't know how okay you are with a human hanging around though, so I guess it's really up to you."

I shook my head, crossing my arms. "You ain't gonna disrupt my life none, Sugar. Ya want out, I'll getcha out, but you gonna be the one ta decide. It ain't fer me ta do for ya. Seems ta me, that been happenin' ta ya quite a-fuckin'-'nuff."

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing on it for a bit, and I was actually proud of the betty for putting some actual thought into an answer and not falling back on the one that would please someone else. When she did finally respond, her voice didn't carry absolute certainty, but it was certainly carrying enough for me. "I don't know if I actually want to be a vampire or not. I don't know if I ever actually really wanted to be one, or if that lure thing took away my critical thinking skills. I don't know if there is a way to make that decision and it be a rational one, honestly. How do you rationally decide to die?"

If she was waiting for me to answer that, she was going to be waiting a very long time. When she figured out I wasn't going to respond, she let out a breath, trying to calm herself down some, and swallowed hard. "What I do know is, I can't continue to live my life under the thumb of someone else, and if I stay here, that's exactly what will happen. If it's not Edward telling me what to do or not to do, Alice is. Hell, for all I know, they all do it at different times, and it's not like I would know otherwise."

Tapping the card in my hand against my palm, I cocked my head as she finished. Seems she did do some actual thinking this morning, and she was finally able to see some light at the end of the foggy tunnel that is a vampire's charm. The fact she was questioning the rest of the Cullens showed more than I think she realised.

Running my tongue long my teeth, I hummed as I put the ID with her name on it back in the envelope I pulled it out of. "Gotta say the words, Little Darlin'."

I started gathering what I dumped out on the bed back up to put away, leaving the check book out so I could cut Jasper his reimbursement, and waited for the sentence to be given life.

Took her two minutes to say it, too.

"I want to go with you."

Grabbing her bag off the floor, I held it out to her. "Then let's go."

When she took her backpack and slipped it over her shoulder, she looked at me with questioning eyes. "Just like that?" When I nodded, she gulped. "What about Alice? Won't she see this?"

I snorted as I gathered up the few things I had in my room. "You ain't gotta worry 'bout the pixy. The minute you decided you was gonna go with me, you vanished ta her. She can't see me, or anyone I'm involved with at any given time. So long as ya stay with me, she neutralized, and you safe from her manipulative little ass. Bare in mind, though, the minute ya decide ta go somewhere else, that blind spot gone." Turning toward her, I set my hand on her shoulder, and when she looked at my eyes, I lowered my voice. "No worries here, Little Lady. You safe with me."

I then held out the second envelope to her. "This for you. Go put yer keys in ya truck, then wait for me in mine. I got a call ta make right quick, then we can be on our way. Now, for this ta work, ya need ta not make no decisions on gettin' in my truck. Ya need ta decide ta go ta school, so the pixy think you with that dog a yours. Don't make no plans otherwise till I tell ya to."

She took the envelope from me, her eyes slightly narrowed, but only in curiosity, before she nodded she understood what I was telling her and heading out of the room. I would tell her what was going on once it was in motion, but getting it in motion was more important than talking about it.

Once she was out the door, I pulled my keys from my pocket, hitting the keyless entry, and waited until I heard the click of the room door before I opened my phone and scrolled the contacts. There were a few people I could call to handle this, but when you want someone to disappear, you call the best in the business... who just happened to also currently be the closest.

Hitting send and calling a number I do not even remember how I got, I put my phone to my ear and waited for him to answer, double checking to make sure I had everything before grabbing the pen that was in the beside table to write Jasper his check, and another one for the clean up crew.

When I heard the greeting 'who's this' on the other end of the line, I fell back into old habits. "This the Southern Captain, and I got a job fer ya, James." Gotta love it when you introduce yourself and the other person goes completely silent. That was a name known far and wide, a lot like Jasper's name of the Southern Major. Shit tended to get done when people were working under a heavy dose of fear. I've never used his talents before, so I could understand why he was so shocked I was calling him. I don't tend to have others clean up behind me, never needing to because I do shit myself to make sure it's done properly, but I knew he would be quite thorough in this particular job.

"You 'bout forty-five minute dead sprint run from a little hole town called Forks in Northern Washington. I'ma needja to make a quick swing through the area. At the ridiculous place they call a inn, you gonna see a beat-up ol' pickup with the keys inside. Deal with it. In the glovebox you gonna see check. That fer yer troubles. Once you done with that, an' not a moment sooner, I'ma need ya ta think hard 'bout a little lady named Isabella Swan. Whatcha do to her ain't no care a mine, but it gotta end with her bein' dead and no body left ta find."

The question he asked was expected. " _Where do I find the girl?"_

The answer was colored in a growl. "Ya don't. Word ta the wise, Boy, only way ta actually getcha hands on her, is by goin' through me ta do it. Believe me, ya don't wanna be playin' no games with me, or I'll show ya how ya play them games proper."

I love the of terrified gulps in the morning. They were like a good old fashion southern breakfast; hearty, filling, and oh so satisfying. Looking at my nails, I continued. "Whatcha gonna be doin', and all you gonna be doin', is settin' off a vision of a fortune tella whose visions deal with concrete decisions. Once ya think it, she'll see it, and you gonna walk away like it never happened. I want seer ta believe it too late ta do anythin', cause I don't want the human looked for. That girl mine now, and the less bullshit I gotta deal with, the more money you gonna make. So, fella, what's it gonna be?"

The other line was silent for a moment before he came back through. " _Destroy a car and fantasize about killing a human? You may as well just pay me to sit on my ass and twiddle my thumbs. This will be the easiest money I've ever made."_

"Thought so. You need ta be in and out the area 'fore they know you was ever there at all. Just so we clear though... you get ya ass caught, you on ya own. This call never happened." There was a 'what call' before the line went silent and I grinned as I slowly closed my phone. "Phase one, done. On ta phase two."


	6. Chapter 6

I wasn't all that surprised there wasn't much as far as conversation went for the first few hours of the drive. As a matter of fact, she hadn't done much more than give a couple of word answers to my sporadic questions, or asking me to stop some place so she could use the bathroom.

The further away from Northern Washington we got, the harder it became to make any substantial stops, but it was around two in the afternoon when the clouds decided to take pity on the betty's growling stomach and cover the sun over bumfuck nowhere Oregon. It was a pretty strategic selection on my part on where I pulled over after getting confirmation she was hungry and wanted an actual meal over stopping somewhere for snacks or something. I picked an off the main road diner on the off chance the clouds then decided people were going to die today.

It wasn't until we were in, sat down, and had our drinks she finally sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. Her face was drawn and eyes glossy. I just leaned back in my booth seat, waiting her out as she tried to decide what she wanted to start with.

When she figured it out, she sighed. "I left so, so much undone this morning. So many ends that weren't tied."

Letting out a sigh of my own, I uncrossed an arm and reached out, grabbing my beer off the table. "Ya got no need ta worry 'bout it. I took care a it."

I saw her hunch her shoulder, and knew the moment she figured out how I 'took care of it'. "I died today, didn't I?"

After swallowing my beer, I nodded. "You gotta know it had ta happen." Leaning forward again, I lowered my voice because there were other humans present. "The thing, Dolly, is that ya weren't just a threat ta us, you was a danger ta other humans, too. Aro don't give no fucks whatcha say, and if you tell 'im they don't know. It's a safety net thing. If one human knows, at least one more does, even if none do. Ya also gotta know they can't be lookin' for ya, cause if they find ya, well, that ain't no better, is it?"

She frowned, but tried to hold back the waterworks. "What did I do to my dad?"

I shrugged as I leaned back in my seat. "Prolly saved his fuckin' life." When her eyes snapped to mine, I lifted a shoulder. "It's true. Look, Darlin', even those a us that live forever gotta keep up with the times, and times have certainly changed. I toldja, I'm damn good buddies with some of them bastards across the world, and my dealin's with 'em are a lot more recent than back when Carlisle was on regular speakin' terms with the Bosses." I watched her pale at the plural, and nodded. "Yeah, boss _es_. There ain't just one ruler a our world; there three. For whatever reason, it always comes down ta Aro bein' a tie breaker, and that gave him this complex or something, makin' him think he the top dog. Honestly, it just easier ta let him think what he wants instead of fightin' 'bout it with him."

She fell silent after that, only smiling slightly at the waitress when the burger she ordered was dropped off. While she focused a little too closely on her fires, I just went back to drinking my beer.

It remained quiet at our table for a couple of minutes before she looked back up at me. "Doesn't the smell in here bother you?"

I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. "It sure don't smell like roses, but I've certainly smelled worse than this." Her next question had to do with my drinking and ability to actually get drunk, to which I just grinned around the mouth of my longneck. "Yup." Killing my beer, I licked my lips and looked at the empty. "Pretty quick too, since I ain't got no body heat to burn it off." When her brow slid up her forehead, I chuckled. "Don't you worry none, Dolly. Even fallin' over trashed, I am still a vampire, now."

She pressed her lips together and averted her eyes when I winked at her. After that, she turned to her burger and started eating, making small talk here and there, but it wasn't until she was done and the check was dropped off she folded her arms over her chest and cocked her head to the side. "Can I ask something?"

Pulling my wallet out of my back pocket, I nodded as I grabbed a fifty and dropped it on the table. Sliding to get out of my seat, I looked over at her. "Sure can. What's up?"

Tapping her fingers on her arms, her brows drew down. "Before we left, and you were telling me to decide to go to school instead of getting in your truck?" She trailed off and I nodded. The prompting worked and she licked her lips. "What did you mean by wanting Alice to think I was with my dog? I don't have a dog."

Holding out a hand to help her to her feet, I felt my own face morph into one of confusion. "I wasn't talkin' 'bout that kinda dog." Letting her preceed me to the door, I did open it for her as I tried to figure something out. It wasn't until we got to my truck I finally responded, and it was as I opened that door for her. "You mean ta tell me ya had no idea there were more than just vampires in Forks?"

My question seemed to catch her as off guard as hers caught me, and she snapped her head around to look at me as she was climbing into her seat. Her eyes were wide, and her lips were parted. "I'm sorry... What?"

I waved her the rest of the way into my truck, and once she was sitting down, I leaned an arm on the top of the door and roof of the cab. "Down the way, there werewolves. Not like... silver bullet killin' weres are nothing like it, but shapeshifters more or less. Ya really didn't know?"

She sat there, her head slowly moving back and forth, but there was a spark of understanding in her eyes. "Sam, Paul, and Jared..." Her hands came up and her head went down, hiding her face. "They're not a gang. They're a fucking pack."

Nodding just as slow as she shook her head, I clicked my tongue. "And that boy you know? He one, too. Not so hairy just yet, but he'll get there, eventually." When her big brown eyes cut to me, I lifted a shoulder. "See, the way her gift works is, there gotta be some kind of familiarity there. She can see humans cause she was one, and she can see vampires cause she is one. Shifters ain't never been completely human. They born what they are, so she can't see 'em at all. Any time you saw that boy, ya vanished. Nothin' bad came from it cause ya always had a future past leavin' that boy's presence."

The girl looked horrified. "They aren't going to think Jake had anything to do with this, are they?"

My nose wrinkled and I shook my head. "Naw, Darlin'. I promise ya, you died by vampire. I ain't all that sure it any betta in the short term so far as your family goes, but in the long run, it's what it had ta be. 'Sides, they big and scary, or they try ta be, but them pups protect humans and at least one a them Cullens know that."

Her hands were still by her face, and she used them to rub her temples as she closed her eyes. "I can't believe this." Dropping her hands to her lap and her head against the back of her seat, she rolled her head to face me, her features drawn and eyes flat. "Is there anything else I wasn't told?"

At the question, I pursed my lips. I was sure there was, but honestly, I didn't think it really mattered anymore. She was out of the area now, and as long as I was alive, she wasn't going back. Instead of saying that, though, I just straightened up, wrapping my fingers around the top of my truck door. "Couldn't tell ya." As I back out of the door opening, I smiled at her. "Put your belt on."


	7. Chapter 7

If I thought relocating a human was going to be difficult, I was wrong. Maybe I just got lucky with the human it was, but for the most part, she was extremely easy to please.

I suppose I was just jaded because of Charlotte when it came to the demands of females, but keep food in the house and don't fuck with the thermostat was all Bella asked of me. Never mind I was the one that paid the damn electric bill, that human wasn't taking any shit from me when it came to the temperature of the house.

I have never been afraid of a human before, and I had every intention of putting it back to what she had the thing set to since it didn't effect me in the slightest, but that joke backfired something shocking. I just stood there with wide eyes as she told me, in no uncertain terms, if I turned the heat down again, she was using me as kindling to start a fire. Never, in my life, had the words 'yes ma'am' come out of my mouth that fucking fast, and all she did was nod before turning around and walking away like she didn't just threaten a war hardened vampire.

When I took her out of Washington, I didn't have all that much of a plan as to what I was going to do or where I was ultimately going to take her, so the start of the adventure was in North Dakota. It was my closest property to where we were, and I figured from there we could both figure out the finer details of what was going to happen. Considering it was her life too, she did deserve a say in what happened from here on out.

It had taken about a week for Jasper to call me up with confirmation that what I had set in motion before leaving Forks had worked; Bella was dead, buried, and that was that.

Unfortunately for the nomad, he wasn't quite as smart as people thought he was because the dumbass didn't clear the area before he set off that vision, but Jasper also assured me he personally dealt with the rest of the coven; what he was told to do be damned. He found and destroyed the only link I left of my involvement in Bella's disappearance, which was the check I wrote to James for his troubles. I hadn't been worried about shit coming back to me. I mean, the fuck were they gonna do about it?

Nothing... that's what.

Bella had taken a couple of days to digest her demise to her family, but once she was cried out, she pulled herself up by her bootstraps, and set out to make the best of the situation... or tried to, anyways. I would say it was valiant effort for what was done to her. She was still trying to put herself back together, trying like hell to figure out who it was she was supposed to become before her life was derailed like it was. It wasn't an easy feat, I knew that much. Too much time spent under the thumb of someone else was always difficult to overcome, but I certainly wouldn't forget the moment she did it.

I had been in the kitchen making her something to eat when she appeared, taking a seat at the island counter. Her face said it all, but that didn't stop her from voicing her confusion. "You can cook?"

I just rolled my eyes before looking over my shoulder at her. "I was human once, ya know, and we ate the same shit then y'all do now. The heatin' element mighta changed, but whatcha do don't." Sliding the eggs onto a plate with the pile of potatoes, I turned off the stove, and set the breakfast in front of her. Sure, it was closer to dinner, but what the fuck ever.

She ate it, too. Now, whether or not it was to be nice, I had no idea, but she cleaned the plate so it couldn't have been that bad. Once she was done, she set her fork down and cleared her throat. "Can I have that beer now?"

Grabbing her plate and setting it in the sink, I snagged her a beer from the fridge, popping the top, and setting it in front of her. Backing up a step, I leaned back against the counter by the sink and crossed my arms. "So, you put any thought inta whatcha wanna do?"

She sat silent, picking at the label on the bottle for a couple of minutes before she finally picked it and took a drink. Her nose wrinkled and her body shuddered at the bitter taste, but she licked her lips and shook her head as she let out a breath. "I wanna be warm. I mean, I know places are probably kind of limited, or whatever, but..."

I grinned, cutting her off. "Where you wanna go, Sugar? You wanna stay in the States? You wanna go somewhere else? There ain't a whole lotta places I'm against goin'. As matta fact, the only place I refuse ta step foot is on that fuckin' peninsula, and ya can't go there anyhow. Do yaself a favor and think 'bout yaself for now. What is it YOU wanna do?"

If I had a guess, I would say she wasn't used to being asked that. Her eyes just dropped to the countertop and her bottom lip went between her teeth, something I was learning was a tick of hers. It was what she always did when she was uncomfortable with something, but what I was having a hard time with was, there was no reason asking her for input on her own life should have _made_ her uncomfortable.

I knew the mindreader had done some damage that would be an uphill battle to undo, but watching this was fucked up.

It was almost like she was incapable of making even the most simple of decisions, and my eyes slid to the plate in the sink. I decided what she ate, and she did so without a single issue, but when we stopped for her to eat, she took forever with a menu and always ended up taking the server's suggestion.

Casting my eyes to the ceiling, I was barely able to bite back the growl that was attempting to claw its way out. It wasn't her fault, and it was pretty clear she was trying to overcome the fucked up conditioning, but damn it, I didn't like it. This shit was one of the reasons why vampires weren't allowed to interact with humanity to such a close extent. Doing this to a human left them all but incapable of taking care of themselves, and when the vampire decided they were done playing with their food and didn't kill it, the human became little more than a walking zombie.

That was when it was clear baby steps were going to have to be the way to go for the foreseeable future.

So, instead of giving her the choice of anywhere in the world, I gave her a couple of options to choose from. In time, she would be able to make these kinds of decisions, but for now, the rule of three would suffice.

Since she said she wanted to be warm, I figured heading south would work for the time being, and I let her pick between Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. While I'm sure it was something of a shock to a human for a vampire to suggest heading for the sunshine instead of away from it, that area of the continental US was actually my preferred place to be this time of year. When she chose my home state, I could have cried, but instead, I just grinned at her and told her to get her shit.

All and all, we spent ten days in North Dakota, and have been in Texas for three weeks, and for the most part, things weren't too bad. Sure, there were some pretty nasty fights between us, but those were bound to happen eventually.

Unlike that ex of hers, I wasn't trying to force a lavish standard of living on the girl. I was merely trying to give her one in general. She didn't have anything, her exit strategy being as spontaneous as it was, which meant for the moment, she had no choice but to let me help her. When it came to an identity, the only shit Jasper had gotten for her was the basics; a new driver's licence that said she was 19, a high school diploma, and a passport. I didn't expect him to set her up like he would had she been his direct responsibility, because I could do that just fine after I got my own papers and once again had access to my money, which I did when she decided where we were going; she just wanted nothing to do with it.

Clothing and actual necessities were one thing, and she didn't have that much of a problem with those. She wasn't a fan of clothes shopping, but I certainly wasn't going to it for her. The way that shit worked in my world was, the lady picked it out and I paid for it. That was the extent of my shopping for her. Same at the grocery store. I wasn't going to eat it, she was. But, since she threw a pretty nasty tantrum over the credit card I had tried to give her, I decided not to argue with her and just swipe mine at the checkout instead. The money was coming from the same place, so really, one card was as good as any other.

When I broached the subject of a car with her, however, _that's_ when the real shit hit the fan.

Had we gone anywhere else, there would have been one in the garage she could use, but since the only vehicle present was my truck, something needed to be bought, or leased, or fucking stolen for all I cared. She wasn't driving my goddamned truck, and when those words were said, in an admittedly less than civil tone, she backed the fuck down. Had I known that was all it would take to get her to stop yelling at me, I would have headed that two hour fight off at the pass.

Why the hell I allowed her to yell at me for that long when all I was trying to do was help the girl, I have no idea. Chances are, it was because I was more impressed she stood her ground than I was pissed off she was screaming at me, but honestly, it was most likely because she was cute as shit when she got angry. Her cheeks flushed and she got this little crease on the bridge of her nose as her eyes ignited. When she lost her temper, she also lost her grip on her brain to mouth filter, and the shit that came out of her mouth was pretty damn funny.

The car situation came down to a compromise in which I would buy it and she would pay me back. What she didn't know was, every penny she would eventually give me would be going into a bank account with only her name on it, but I didn't see a single reason she needed to know that at that moment in time. It wasn't worth continuing to fight over, and honestly, she needed the money way more than I did since she made it abundantly fucking clear she didn't want to be taken care of.

When I took her to buy said car, she didn't get what I figured she would. After she considered her options, and some numbers were crunched for her, she went with a midline Chevy SUV in white when I thought she was going to get herself another truck. Whatever, she was happy with it, and that was what mattered. It went on my insurance, because even being bought and paid for in cash, her lack of credit would have made that insurance payment a ridiculously large one. After telling her we would work that out as we had to, she left it alone because, even being paid for out right, the law said they don't hand over the keys until there is proof of insurance. Said insurance was also needed to put hard plates on it, and that was something else she couldn't argue.

Once her closet was full, the kitchen was stocked, and there was vehicle in the driveway she was allowed to use, that was the end of what she allowed me to do. I found her chosen lines in the sands pretty humorous, but she was determined to build herself a life, and even though she was actually only seventeen, she went out and looked for a job because she carried an ID that said otherwise. It took her a couple of days before she grew the balls needed to walk into the local watering hole that was looking for a bartender, but once she did, she somehow aced that interview and left with a job.

She didn't know shit about alcohol, and I was pretty sure that beer she had back in North Dakota was the first taste of it she ever had, but when she walked in the front door with the first smile on her face I had seen, I couldn't bring myself to piss on her parade. Instead, I spent the next two days before she was set to start teaching her everything I could think of she would need to actually know behind a bar. This being a pretty small place, the chances she would actually need what I taught her were pretty low. As long as she could pour a draft and didn't fuck up the liquor to soda ratio, she would more than likely be fine.

I still made sure she was able to take on a dance club in New York, though.

She was also under the most adorable fucking impression even the lie her age was meant she wasn't going to be allowed to drink at this place, just sling the drinks. The hell she think kids her supposed age did around these parts? This was small town Texas, and I could almost guaran-damn-tee the other bartenders would turn a blind eye to her having a beer. They might draw a line at the hard shit, but I even doubted that to a point. Didn't tell her that, though.

Her first couple of shifts were pretty early in the day, the owner wanting to make sure she could actually do the job, but once she proved she knew how to handle herself, she was switched over to nights, and was generally running shit on her own.

At first, she asked I not show up at the bar, but once she got herself settled in, she lifted the restriction and even asked me if I would go with her for one particular shift. She wouldn't tell me why, but there was something in the way she asked I agreed without hesitation. Turned out, the reason she wanted me there was because it hadn't taken long for this dude with a death wish to _way_ overstep himself. The poor girl had only been there for a week before she caught the wrong kind of attention, and this guy made her extremely uncomfortable.

So, I showed up when she told me to and parked my ass at the bar, waiting for her to point him out, but she didn't end up needing to. He made himself known when he grabbed her ass as she walking away from the table he was at with his buddies, who thought that shit was not only perfectly fine, but funny as hell.

What caught me by more surprise than literally anything else she had ever done was when she walked past me to go back behind the bar, she whispered 'ding ding' under her breath like she was a god damn dinner bell.

Well... alright. That was one way to handle it, I suppose.

She hadn't batted an eye when I glanced back to the table with black eyes, just went about washing glasses, her own eyes flicking back to the guy. When I looked back at her, she looked at me, and there was not an ounce of remorse in her eyes over her asking me to kill a man for her. Whether he did something else she hadn't told me or he had just pushed her too far, I didn't know. The fact was, she wanted him gone; that was all I needed to know.

I ate damn good that night, too.

Her face when I got home a few hours after she did was passive if I had to name it. She didn't ask, and I didn't tell. All I did was look at her with glowing red eyes, she nodded, and that was that.

After that, she didn't have a single complaint about where she worked. As a matter of fact, once that guy was gone, she seemed to really like her job. She had made friends with another one of the bartenders, and I was right about heads being turned if she wanted to have a beer. She wouldn't push her luck at work, but her friend, Jade I believe, would pass her shots here and there, or add one to a glass of Coke on the rare occasion their boss was there.

In the more recent days, she still hadn't acquired the taste for much, but she wasn't shy about coming home and pouring herself a straight whiskey on the rocks as she told me about her night.

It was now a Saturday, and she was getting ready for work when I leaned on the door frame of her room, my arms crossed as she was lacing up her shoes. She needed to know what she was coming home to because I learned she wasn't a fan of surprises. Clearing my throat to catch her attention, I returned her smile when she looked at me. "So, a buddy a mine comin' inta town tanight. You gonna be alright with that?"

Though she looked mildly surprised at the heads up, she just shrugged. "Sure. I mean, it's your house." Then, she looked back down as she tied her other shoe. "Anyway, I'm supposed to be going to Jade's after work tonight, remember?"

I just leveled her with a look. "Naw, Darlin', I don't 'member nothin'." When she glanced at me with her lips pressed together, I rolled my eyes. "I'm aware ya got plans tanight, Sugar, but he gonna be here a few days, and it ain't just my house. You live here, too."

I heard her hum and she clicked her tongue as she finished tying her sneaker before looking at me, her eyes challenging. "Say I say no, then what? Is your buddy not going to be here in the morning? Will said buddy stay somewhere else while he's in town?" When I pursed my lips and glanced away, she nodded. "Thought so." She stood up and grabbed her apron from her dresser before looking at me with a grin. "You said I wasn't going to disrupt your life, Peter, and telling you no vampire parties would be firmly in that category, wouldn't it?" Though I gave her a look, she just giggled quietly, patted my chest, and looked up at me. "Just keep it down."

With a wink to me, she was off, leaving me to watch after her as she grabbed her keys off the counter, shouted 'shit' because she noticed she was running behind, and then darted out the door.

After she slammed the front door shut, I chuckled deep in my throat as I shook my head. "'Ight, Darlin'; ya hadja chance."

That human was going to shit her pants when she found out who it was that was on his way.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey... two in one day. Might even get another one if I stay on this roll *winks***

 **Enjoy!  
~Speklez**

 **BPOV**

It was odd, really, how easy it was for me to assume a life that wasn't really mine. Yeah, I had my problems, and some things weren't so easy to swallow, but being a seventeen year old bartender wasn't one of them. I actually loved the job I found, and I made pretty decent money at it. It might take me an entire lifetime to pay Peter back for my car, but I was happy, and I was good at this.

Walking into Dom's was always a pretty good ego boost, too. The cheer of my name as I came in never failed to make me smile, even it it wasn't _my_ name. I went by Liz in public these days, Jasper picking the name Elizabeth for me when he had my ID made. Peter assured me if I didn't like it, he would have no problem getting me a new identity with a name I did, but really, it wasn't like what I was called was a big deal. He still called me Bella at home on the very rare occasion he didn't call me one endearment or another; those times generally being when I pissed him off.

Which was surprisingly hard to do, actually.

Maybe I was just too used to my humanity being enough to piss off a vampire, I didn't know, but I was positive this mother fucker was about as laid back as supernaturals came. As long as I didn't leave the cap off the Jack or let my gas tank get so low I was in danger of running out, he just... didn't care.

That wasn't to say we didn't get into it over other shit, it just wasn't as common now as it was a month ago when we were still new to each other. Most of what we fought about at first wasn't even anything he was doing, really. It was all in my head, I knew that. However, after finding out everything I did that was going on with the Cullens, I had a very hard time seeing his kindness as anything other than nefarious.

The biggest fight we had was when he offered to buy my car, and I was, admittedly, a fucking bitch about it. It had taken me the rest of the day after he, hands down, won that fight, but I did eventually tell him why I was so against it. It was just another one of the things that had been attempted to be forced on me by Edward.

He seemed to understand where I was coming from, which was where the compromise we came to, came from. I also got a history lesson from him about his dealings with his ex-wife, and he told me he was having just as hard of a time not bending to my desires as I was to accept anything from him. From what he told me, I gathered after so long of being what amounted to a walking ATM for this Charlotte chick, it became a habit of his, and for a vampire, long standing habits became a part of who they are.

I wasn't a violent person, but by the time that conversation was over, I decided I didn't like the bitch, and if I ever met her, I was going to hit her in the face with a baseball bat. I wouldn't live much longer, I wasn't that stupid, but I liked Peter, and he didn't deserve to be used like that only to be cheated on because not only was she a golddigger, she was also, apparently, a whore as well.

Once everything was out on the table, things calmed down and we seemed to fall into a pretty decent routine. I worked five days a week, mostly at night, and when I got home, he always had something for me to eat waiting for me to walk in the door. He would have a drink while I ate, and I would tell him about my shift before I went to bed, him being nice enough to actually be very quiet so I could sleep.

The literal only issue I really had happened a week after I started at the bar when this douche and his friends came in. I hadn't seen them before, which wasn't shocking since I was new to the area, but when no one else knew who they were either, that's when I got a little more standoffish with them. Most of the people that came into Dom's were locals, and pretty regular customers, so new faces were noticed.

At first, it wasn't bad, just crude and unnecessary remarks about my ass. But, they came back three shifts in a row, leaving if I wasn't there only to come back when I was, and it got progressively worse.

This bar is in Texas, and it was moving into summer. It gets hot. So, I wore a skirt to the bar that night because why the hell wouldn't I? Because, that was also the night Sir Douche decided that was going to be the night crude and unnecessary remarks about my ass weren't enough anymore, and he was going to get grabby. His hand went up my skirt, and I brought my overprotective vampire roommate to work the next night... wearing jeans, in ninety degree weather.

I should have felt bad, but nope. It didn't matter if he didn't know I was actually a minor; if he would do that shit to me, he would do it anyone, and that was also a nope. I don't know what everyone thought happened to those boys, but I also don't care. They aren't bothering me, or putting their hands up anyone else's skirts, grabbing something they had no right to grab, and that's really where I stopped caring.

Once I knew I would never have to deal with him again, I fell in love with my job. Sure, I was still fielding other drunken come-ons, but at least these guys knew what not interested, or a flat 'no' meant. Getting hit on was also part of the job, I had been told that when I started. Dom didn't cut any corners making sure I understood it was going to happen, and if it wasn't something I thought I could handle, or it wasn't something I was alright with, I was better off not taking the job when he offered it to me. I didn't. Getting hit on was one thing, and as long as that was where it stopped, I was fine with it.

I just wasn't fine with Sir Douche putting his fucking hand up my skirt.

Literally jumping out of my thoughts, I looked at the other bartender, and my new best friend, Jade, who was looking at me with pure amusement on her face.

"Damn, Liz; penny for your thoughts?"

Shaking my head to dispel said thoughts, I chuckled. "They ain't worth that much, trust me."

Her eyes, at such a simple statement, lit the fuck up. "You said 'ain't'! My God, Dolly, I'm so proud a you." When all I did was snort, she giggled as she turned to the bar, dropping down on her forearm and elbow, propping her chin on her closed fist. "Sweet Baby Jesus... now, why can't I have a roommate that look like that with friends that look like that?"

Ah, Peter must be here with his buddy.

Leaning around Ol' Hoss, I looked out onto the floor, seeing Peter sitting at one of the tables with a vampire I didn't know, but looked seriously out of place in black dress slacks and a blue button down. Hanging off the back of his chair was, I assumed, the jacket with when with the suit he was wearing, but it looked a little long for a normal jacket.

Shrugging it off, and knowing for a fact they could hear our conversation, I snorted as I made my way out from behind the bar, pausing long enough to smirk at Jade. "Trust me, Sweet Cheeks, you don't wanna go there. No matter how hot they are, it just ain't worth it." I watched her roll her eyes, but didn't stay long enough for her to say anything before making my way through the tables to the one the two amused vampires were sitting at. Peter had one arm draped over the back of his chair and his friend had his arms crossed, both wearing mating raised brows, which made me laugh.

Setting my hands on the back of the chair so my back was to the bar, I smiled at the two. "Neither one of you are allowed to hold what you hear tonight against her. Jade doesn't... possess the ability to control what comes out of her mouth." When neither one of them made any attempt to agree to the terms, I shook my head but looked at Peter's friend, already knowing what Peter wanted. "What can I get for you?"

He looked at me for a long moment before he changed his position, sliding slightly down in his seat, uncrossing his arms and propping one on the back of his chair with a bent elbow while the other one stretched out in front of him, drumming his fingers on the table as a smirk pulling at his lips. Another moment passed before he spoke, and it wasn't to give me his drink order. "I find it funny, _Isabella_ , that you aren't even slightly curious as to who it is I am."

I heard Peter kick him under the table, but all the vampire did was shift his eyes to Peter for a moment before returning them to me. I don't recall saying I wasn't curious who he was, I just didn't think Peter would bring someone that would be a danger to me where I worked. I could feel my heart beat harder when he stressed my real name, so I knew they could hear it, and it was confirmed when Peter kicked him again, this time much harder, and with words.

"Knock it off, Dickhead. I already killed for the girl once, so don't go thinkin' I got the slightest problem doin' it again."

Though there was still a smirk on the man's face, his lips were pressed together slightly harder than they were before. "Kick me again and see what happens, Captain."

Peter, his eyes darkening, growled as he leaned closer to the other vampire. "Call me that again and see what the fuck happens, Tracka. Ya don't wanna test me, Boy. I'll actually hurtcha."

It was like watching the most fucked up game of tennis ever. Back and forth they went, and finally, I gave an uncomfortable clearing of my throat as I looked at Peter when they just started slinging insults. "I thought you said you two were friends."

It was the strange vampire that answered, and it was with a snicker. "We are, but we aren't," his eyes cut to mine, "the Cullens."

It was in that moment I discovered the feeling of your stomach dropping to your feet felt exactly like shitting your pants. I wondered for a moment if they could hear my ass clench, but decided against asking. Instead, I decided to impersonate a fish. I couldn't stop the compulsion to open and close my mouth, and this vampire seemed to find it funnier than hell.

Even with my mouth dry half way down my throat, I still attempted to talk, though I was positive it was more of a croak. If he knew I knew the Cullens, then I knew at least the organization this vampire worked for. "You're..."

Well, I tried to talk, anyway.

The vampire, however, had no problem finishing my sentence. "Volturi; yes, I am." Then, he extended a hand. "Demetri."

I looked at the innocent enough hand in front of me for maybe a moment too long, but did end up taking it, and giving it a slight squeeze. "Bella, but please, call me Liz."

The debener bastard actually changed how he was holding my hand and pressed his lips to the back of my hand, much to the clear irritation of Peter, which was very clearly what he was intending if the dark amusement in his eyes was anything to go by. "Pleasure, Stella." I just gave him a half smile as he released my hand and returned to his previous position with his arms crossed. "I don't suppose you carry wine, here."

I wrinkled my nose and lifted a shoulder. "Just your basic Merlot and Chardonnay, though I heard someone say the Chardonnay tasted like someone pissed in a bottle and slapped a label on it."

I have never seen a vampire look that close to throwing up before, but I actually took a step back from the table as I heard him gag and press the side of his fist to his lips. He didn't move his hand, just raised his index finger, his voice strained. "Merlot."

Nodding to him, I looked at Peter, who had a cat that got the canary grin on his lips. He didn't look away from Demetri as he spoke to me. "I'll just have a whiskey, Sug."

Holding my hands up, I backed away from the table before turning and heading back to the bar.

 **PPOV**

As Bella was heading back to the bar, I just continued to watch Demetri battle against his last meal. After the third time I saw him shudder, I chuckled. "Serves ya ass right for pullin' that shit with 'er."

His hand was still in front of his mouth, so he gave me the finger with the other one. Watching him try not to puke was way funnier than it should have been, so when he finally cleared his throat, I was more than slightly disappointed.

However, before he was able to say a word, my attention snapped to the bar when I heard the little Belle reject that was Jade's voice.

" _Ya eva fantasize 'bout fuckin' that roommate a yers?"_

I didn't actually plan on reacting to anything I heard, but there was no preventing my head from snapping to the side, my eyes locking on the wide, horrified brown ones of said 'roommate'. Bella was completely frozen, the bottle of Jack in position to pour my drink, her lips parted.

Now, literally anything else being their topic of conversation and I would have ignored it as asked, but I had to say, I was pretty fucking interested in that answer myself.

Bella, however, just closed her eyes as she shook her head. " _No, I haven't."_

Her bar buddy, on the other hand, lit up like a damn Christmas tree. " _You a damn liar, Lizzy."_

Pouring my drink, " _I am not."_

" _Yeah, ya are. Don't know why either. There ain't nothin' wrong with it."_

Trading the bottle of liquor for Demetri's wine, " _Jade... shut up."_

" _Why? Honey, if I had a roommate that look like that, I'd just walk around naked all damn day and hope for the fuckin' best."_

I have never seen a human turn that color red before, and I wasn't sure if Bella wanted to cry, vanish into thin air, or beat Jade's ass as she poured Demetri's glass of Merlot.

Finally, it seemed as though she decided her course. After she recorked the wine bottle and put it away, she picked up the corkscrew and pointed the business end of the thing at Jade. " _Jade, Babe, I love you, I do, but if you don't stop talking, right now, I will stab you in the face."_

Without giving the little Betty any more of a change to make the situation worse for her, Bella picked up mine and Demetri's drinks and hurried out from behind the bar. I could see it, and so could the tracker across from me. The girl was mortified because she knew we heard every single word, and a mortified Bella was clearly a pissed off Bella.

She set both of our glasses down harder than necessary and glared at me. "You know how many things I have at home I can turn into a flame thrower. Don't you dare."

I was pretty sure I hadn't done anything, but even still, I put my hands up in a sign of surrender. Demetri, however, went to open his mouth, so I kicked him again, shaking my head with a wrinkled nose when he shifted his eyes to me. It really wasn't worth pissing her off even more, because she really would try to set his ass on fire.

Instead, he waited until she was out of hearing range. Picking up his glass, he held it in the palm of his hand, his eyes watching my human, a hum in his throat. "Well, this certainly got far more interesting."

I just pointed at him. "Let it alone."

He face went completely flat as he swirled the red wine in its glass. "You do get I am here as a favor to an old friend, but will very likely have a job to do eventually, right?"

Picking up my own drink, I took the double as a shot, licking my lips clean of the amber liquid, humming in the back of my throat. One arm folded on the table, Iightly set my glass back down, and looked at Demetri through my lashes. I didn't know what I looked like, but it had the effect of making him lean back a bit. "Ya really wanna have a go at me?"

He took a drink and cleared his throat after he swallowed it. "Not particularly."

I just cocked a brow. "Then shut it, mind it, and drink your toe jam."

Pausing before his glass was all the way back to his mouth, he glared at me as he set it back down. "Every damn time. I swear, you and Felix share a fucking brain."

I just grinned at him. I did like that big, brick shit house. He and I got along so well because, honestly, we had the exact same sense of humor... and generally at Demetri's expense. I had known both the fuckers for almost as long as I had been out of Maria's army, and we usually got together once a year for a weekend of Hell raisin'. They've called me to lend them a hand over the years, and I've done the same. Didn't think I would ever call them about a human, though.

Aro did know about her, and she was allowed to live for the time being, which was nothing if not a fucking miracle, but I hadn't tried and hide her like the Cullens tried to. That was how you got your ass in jam. Did I tell the Asshole in Chief myself? No, but I did tell the one that would be dealing with the situation when it came down to it, who was the one that told Aro once he had the information he needed.

I had started the conversation with 'so, there this human', to which Demetri had snorted with a response of 'I didn't think you the type'. However, by the time I was done telling him about said human, he was less than thrilled to hear it was a rescue operation, which allowed me a few liberties I wouldn't have had otherwise, and what it was that allowed Bella to keep her pulse.

I was then told he had one situation he had to deal with first, but then he would be out to assess this situation. He needed to see for Aro what I said was true, and that I wasn't allowing her to run around and run her mouth.

Demetri and I were silent for a time, and he was the one that broke it with a sigh through his nose, though his eyes were on my human. "It will be up to Aro, as you know, but there should, at the very least, be a time limit for her heart to stop. Spending an extended period of time under the influence of the Lure does, understandably, take an extended period of time to come out from under. So far, I haven't seen any evidence she's stepping out of the rules, and I do believe I even heard her warn her charming little friend to stay away; that... it wasn't worth it."

I just looked at him, waiting for him to continue, which he did after he killed his wine. "I will go to bat for your human, Peter, so long as I do not find out she told someone else."

I just cocked a brow at him. "My human?" She was, but I didn't recall telling him that.

Demetri, however, just clicked his tongue as he leaned toward me. "I saw your face during the girls' conversation. You didn't call me here to save a human with knowledge she shouldn't have. You know that wouldn't happen. No matter how far down the rabbit hole she had been drug, laws are laws, and orders are orders, all friendships aside. You called me here to buy you time to undo the conditioning that was done to her because, as long as she's under that influence, she's out of your reach. You called me here because I know how to do just that." Leaning back in his seat again, he crossed his arms. "Tell me I'm wrong."

All I did was grin at him. "Tell me ya ain't gonna do it."

Uncrossing one of his arms, he waved a finger at me. "Oh, no, Captain. I'm going to fix that human, and in exchange, you are going to stay out of our way when the time comes to deal with the Cullen that did it, the one that allowed it, and any that encouraged it." When I didn't answer in a timely enough manner, he smirked at me. "You either agree to these terms, or I go home, right now, with nothing but your word of her silence, which you know isn't enough to save her life."

Now, I was glaring. "You a asshole."

He just shrugged. "True, but, I'm also not in the mood for your games. So, what is it going to be?"

A very slow smile that was anything but nice pulled at my lips, and I could feel my eyes start to darken. I laced my fingers together and spoke with a chuckle in my voice. "You gonna do whatcha came ta do, and then you gonna get the fuck out my way, cause... I said so. I ain't playin' no game, but you wanna see which one a us betta at hide n seek? 'Ight, Tracka, let's play."

The glare on his face was impressive, but I just kept smiling at him as he growled. "I have no idea why I'm friends with you."

I didn't know either, but I knew when he didn't attempt to leave, and instead just lifted his empty glass to ask for a refill, I won, and it was time to move on to phase three.


	9. Chapter 9

Demetri and I spent a good couple of hours pounding back drinks and shooting pool, catching up from the last time we got together, and just having a good time.

Not surprisingly, part of the night was wasted when he inquired about what happened with Charlotte, but what did surprise me was he didn't seem as shocked at the news as I thought he would be. Finding out several years after the fact the little slut had made a handful of passes at him earned the asshole a pretty stiff armed punch between the shoulder blades, but it also earned someone else a permanent place on my shit list when he told me this little bastard named Aften had taken her up on the offer.

I might not be with her anymore, but what happened when we were together would be dealt with one way or a-fucking-nother.

And, he called me on that.

"If you are looking to build a new life, why does one with someone that isn't going to be in it matter so much? What is it you believe it will accomplish, and what it is you believe it will look like your new lady if you spend so much effort being pissed off at someone that fucked your ex?" He wasn't hearing shit about it being the principal of the thing, either. "There is no principle here, Peter. It's actually quite simple. You cannot move forward if you're always pissed off about the past. If Bella is your future, then you need to just... let the bullshit go and focus on her."

It was painful not to smack him with the pool cue.

And he knew it, too; if the smirk on his lips was anything to go by.

This was why I liked the son of a bitch so damn much. I had so much shit going on in my head at any given moment, I had a pretty difficult time sorting it all out. Then this simple minded bastard hears a fraction of it, and is able to cut his way through all of it, and get to the bottom line.

It was that discussion that led into him explaining to me how he was going to go about undoing what that damn mind reader had done to my girl. I knew part of what had to be done, but this was part of his job description, so he knew the whole kit-n-caboodle.

He was lining up his next shot, a cigarette between his lips, his voice off hand. "The easy part is getting the human away from the vampire. It's usually much harder to keep said human away from them long enough for the human to regain the ability to think through the fog and begin to act as they should."

He took his shot, removing the cigarette from his mouth, blowing the smoke out through his nose. Pursing his lips when he missed, he stepped back so I could take my turn, continuing his explanation. "When it comes to the mind, humans aren't as different from us as we like to think. The only difference between us is, while human, the conscious mind and the subconscious mind work in tangent whereas after the change, they separate, giving birth to our inner demon. While humans do not have _access_ the vast space within their minds we do, they do still actually have it, which is the point. While we can have a million things going on in our heads, most of the shit we come up with is seen to by our subconscious; our darker ambitions, though I do not believe I need to tell you that part."

He brow raised and a smirked. "Naw, sure don't. I've killed ya five times durin' your little speech just now. Number four was my favorite. Might gotta use it sometime." Though I knew it was my turn on the table, I just leaned back against it, cue in one hand, and crossed my arms. "Fascinatin' shit, Demetri, but whatcha gonna do for my girl?"

He just lifted one shoulder, a spark in his eyes. "I'm going to have a word with her charming little friend." When I cocked a brow at him, he shrugged again. "She's the only one that can actually fix what was done, Peter. I can't do it for her. She must make that choice for herself. The fact she was able to make the _conscious_ decision to allow herself to be removed from the situation, and continues to make the _conscious_ decision to stay with you means she wasn't completely brainwashed, so there is hope it can be undone, but it it her _sub_ conscious mind that must now be convinced.

"As I said before, the human brain works in tangent with itself. There is not a second entity within them to deal with the things they don't, or in this case can't, focus on. When a human loses their subconscious mind, which is what happens in this situation, their conscious minds are no longer theirs. They lose their ability to have original thoughts, their self preservation, critical thinking skills because they can't think deeper than what's right in front of them, which is usually the vampire. Some humans even lose actual long term memories that do not include the vampire that decided this was a good idea. They cannot remember their life before them, and cannot imagine one without them. It's why this shit is illegal, why the Cullens are on Aro's shit list, and why you were given your leeway with you human. Actually..."

He trailed off, his eyes going distant as he hummed, his head tilting to the side. "Maybe..." He uncrossed one of his arms, rubbing his fingertips across his lips and I could actually watch the wheels of his mind spinning. I've known him long enough to when he was talking to himself, but I still paid attention to what was being said. "Well, why not?" His eyes shifted back and forth, narrowing slightly. "Could she?... if I can ascertain when it started... yes... holy crap."

It was then his eyes came back into focus and he just looked overly impressed with himself, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't as well when he let me in on what he came up with. "If I can figure out exactly when she started to succumb to the Lure, I might be able to convince Aro she should not be able to be held accountable for her knowledge at all. If she was already feeling the effects of it before she found out, she wouldn't have stood a chance to walk away before it happened, regardless of how it happened."

Well, that shit sounded pretty damn good to me, but there was a problem with it. "And, just how you plannin' on doin' that?"

A shit eating grin to rival mine appeared on Demetri's lips as he set his cue against the wall and put his cigarette out in the ashtray. "I'm going to have a word with your human's charming little friend. Get Bella away from the bar, and keep her away for... five minutes."

Not even slightly sure how he expected me to do that with the fact Bella was extremely protective of Jade and already didn't want that girl anywhere near either of us, I shrugged as he made his way toward the bar. Looking there myself, I set my eyes on Bella, who was looking at Demetri with narrowed eyes and crossed arms.

Clicking my tongue, I decided to get her pissed off at me, because that generally worked pretty well. Curling my tongue behind my teeth, I blew a whistle and, when Bella jumped and looked at me, I smiled as I held up my empty glass. The look she gave me was priceless, but she did grab the bottle and pour me another one. I watched Bella and Demetri pass each other, and her lips move, but all I actually heard was Demetri's chuckle to whatever it was she said.

When she got to me, she glared again, trying to get away with just dropping the glass off, but I snagged her by the arm before she got more than two steps away. Though something between a shriek and a gasp slipped past her lips, she caught her balance and looked up at me when in the position to do so. I gave her a smile and slapped my cue against her palm. "Your shot, Sug."

Her lips pulled back from her teeth and her eyes crinkled. Her voice was high, but it also held a laugh, so I knew I wasn't in that much trouble for the less than polite way to catch her attention. "What? Peter, I'm working."

I gave the bar a very deliberate lookover before looking at her with a cocked brow. "We the only ones here, Darlin'." When she also looked around, there was a sigh. Me and Demetri were not the _only_ ones in the place, but there was only three others, and they all had full glasses sitting in front of them. So, settling on something else, I pointed at the table. "Just finish this game with me."

Though she glanced back to the bar and grunted, she nodded and after finding out if she was stripes or solids, went around the table to take a shot, and I lent an ear to the bar to find out what that asshold was up to.

" _Ciao, Tesoro."_

I was sure it was under her breath, but I had never heard Jade whimper before. " _Sweet Jesus."_ Her voice was louder when she spoke again. " _Whatcha need, Honey?"_

" _I was merely curious if I could ask your opinion of something."_

" _Ya look damn good in blue."_

" _Thank you"_

" _Really like them contacts, too. Nice touch."_

I heard Demetri snort, but there was the same level of amusement there always was when his eyes were called into focus. " _Do you? I will certainly keep that in mind."_

Now, Demetri's back was to me, and he had Jade positioned in front of him in such a way I couldn't see her, but her voice was enough to know he was behaving. " _Now, whatcha wanna ask, Darlin'?"_

" _What do you think of our friends?"_

" _In what way? Like... them tagether?"_ I saw his nod, and heard her snort. " _Let me stop ya right there. You an' Peter buddies, and Lizzy my little Baby Doll. I ain't gonna talk ill a either a 'em."_

" _Just between us, of course. I know what I've seen. I'm just curious if I'm the only one."_

Turning my back to the pair, I stepped to the table to take my turn, but kept an ear on the happenings.

I knew Jade had a bit of an attitude, but it was never more apparent than when she unloaded on Demetri about her thoughts on Bella and I.

" _Hell naw, you ain't the only one that been watchin' them two dense ass motha fuckas dance 'round each otha like they ain't got the good sense God gave 'em ta know they perfect for one another. I been doin' it for weeks. I know ain't either one a 'em dumb as they actin', but ain't either one a 'em got the balls ta do nothin'. Peter ain't that much a damn gentlemen, not the way he always lookin' at her ass like he just wanna take a bite out a her."_

I heard Demetri snort, but moved on before he could be called on why he found her statement funny. " _And, what of Liz?"_

There was a change in Jade's voice, but it was softer than it was a moment ago. " _I dunno what the fuck happened ta that girl, but she ain't got the confidence ta ever step up like that. She don't take no shit, but I'm here ta tell ya, someone done leached every last ounce a self-worth out a her, and she don't think she deserve ta be happy no more."_ Then, her voice went much darker. " _I'll tell ya this, though... If I eva find the sumbitch that did it to her, I'ma fuckin' kill 'im cause she too damn young ta not see herself in a decent fuckin' light. She a teenager, a damn baby. She should be out havin' the time a her fuckin' life now that she done with school, raisin' hell and actin' a damn fool, but what she doin'? She behind a bar slingin' drinks like she got nothin' betta ta do."_

Demetri just hummed. " _What makes you think someone did something like to her?"_

Jade didn't miss a beat, her voice carrying an edge that stuck me as one of personal experience. " _Cause this the kind a place ya move away from, not move to unless you hidin' from someone."_ I'm not sure what his face looked like, but Jade's next response had me pressing my lips together so Bella didn't know I was paying more attention to a conversation across the bar than I was to her. " _What? Ya think this accent makes me stupid? Look, Sugar, we might be hard ta understand sometimes ta those that ain't from these parts, but I promise ya, we ain't as stupid as people take us for. We went ta school, too."_

No one was able to defuse a situation quite like the Volturi tracker. " _You misunderstand, Tesoro. I was merely taken aback by the fact it sounded to me like you've been in that position before."_

" _We ain't talkin' 'bout me, are we? But, you wrong. It was my mama. I grew up here after she ran from my daddy."_

" _I see. My apologies."_

" _You ain't got nothin' ta apologize for. Ya didn't know, but we gonna leave it alone now. Ya wanted ta talk about Peter and Lizzy, so let's focus there, shall we?"_

I have never heard someone handle Demetri like that before, and that time I couldn't fully bite back the snort. And it caught Bella's attention.

"What's so funny?"

Flicking my eyes to her, I shrugged. "Demetri don't know how ta handle Jade and her rather impressively vulgar vocabulary when she gets a little hot in the head."

There was a light in the back of her eyes as a giggle slipped past her lips. "I love her. I hope she hands him his ass."

Turning my full attention to her, I crossed my arms. "Ya get he here ta help ya, right?"

It was then that light in her eyes went out, the same dull look coming back that was always there. With a sigh, she bent at the waist, lined up her shot, sunk the 8 ball, tossed her cue on the table, and walked around it. Lowering her voice, she shook her head as she passed me. "I don't think there is any help for me."

Why I didn't stop her from walking away right then, I didn't know, but I just watched as she made her way back to the bar, heard Jade tell Demetri was coming, and crossed my arms.

Sure there was. She just had to accept it.

 **BPOV**

Thirty minutes. A half an hour I spent under the weight of Jade's eyes, but she wouldn't answer me when I asked what she wanted. She would shake her head, but not actually look away, so clearly there was something going on behind her bright green eyes.

But, I knew her well enough to know she wouldn't tell me until she was good and damn ready.

I knew whatever it was had to do with whatever she talked to Demetri about, something else she wouldn't tell me, much to my irritation. What added to that was I saw Demetri jump right into conversation with Peter when he got back to the pool table, but I couldn't hear what was being said. It wasn't the first time I was left out of something in my life, but that was the problem. I couldn't help where my mind went, that what they were talking about was me, and my best friend didn't feel it necessary to let me in on the secret.

It was Edward, Carlisle, and Alice all over again.

I had just about written it all off when Jade came walking over to me, a purposeful look on her face as she slammed her hand on the bartop in front of me as I made a round of drinks.

"A hundred bucks."

Blinking a couple of times, I glanced at her from the corner of my eye before looking back to what I was doing. "What?"

She moved her hand, revealing a one hundred dollar bill, crossing her arms and staring me right in the side of the head. "I betcha a hundred bucks, ya won't kiss that roommate a yers."

I actually dropped the bottle of Maker's Mark I had in my hands. I tried to catch it, but that just made it worse as I snapped my attention to Jade, who had a look of challenge on her face. "The fuck, Jade?"

A brow slid up her forehead, hiding behind her bangs. "I said, I betcha won't..."

I cut her off. "No, I heard you. I'm just not sure I understood you."

Her face leveled out and I had to fight not to back away from her. "I'ma smack the shit outta you, Liz. I'm tellin' ya this so it don't come out left field when I do it, cause I happen ta like ya."

Sliding the glasses to who ordered them, I turned to face her fully, crossing my arms as I leaned on the drink well. "Okay, now I'm really confused." Tilting my head to the side. "Did you have half of this conversation in your head and forget I wasn't there for it?"

Her eyes ignited, and I actually gulped. "'Ight, now I'ma hitcha really fuckin' hard, cause _now_ you pissin' me off."

I just shook my head, still not understanding what the hell she was up to. "Jade..."

It was her turn to cut me off, and she did it by snagging the crumpled up money from the bar before grabbing me by the arm and dragging me down to the other end where no one was sitting. Letting me go after she all but shoved me into the corner, she crossed her arms and leveled me with the look she usually reserved for patrons that got on her nerves. "Listen Dolly, I don't know what the fuck that other fella did ta you, but he ain't here, is he?"

I shook my head with wide eyes, and hers narrowed. "I been watchin' ya'll two for weeks, dancin' round the other like ya don't wanna mean nothin' ta the other. He don't wanna step on ya toes and for whatever the fuckin' reason, _you_ don't think ya deserve 'im. _That's_ why I'ma smack the shit outta you."

I stood there with a lax jaw and parted lips for a long moment, not sure how to respond to that. It took me far longer than I would have liked to, but finally, I just shook my head again. "You don't understand, Jade. I am not his type."

She scoffed, her face actually taking on a look like she smelled something rotten. "The fuck that shit even mean? Ya got a pussy don'tcha?"

I reared back like she actually did smack me. "Dude!"

She didn't even look ashamed of herself, and knowing her, she wasn't. Instead, she cocked a brow. "Well? Do ya or don'tcha?" When I tripped over my tongue, her hip jutted out. "Then you his type. Damn it, Lizzy... a blind pig could see y'all two belong tagether. If he ain't got the ball ta do somethin' 'bout it, then it on you ta do it. That boy smitten witcha, but you either too damn scared or too damn stupid ta see it."

Okay, now I was starting to get angry. The shock from her very blunt way of asking what was between my legs melted away, and I glared as I actually shoved her back. "You were right about one thing. You don't know what happened, so you don't get to stand there and call me stupid for protecting myself."

She just took that step right back forward, and put her nose right against him. "The fuck I don't." Leaning back, her lips were twisted and her eyes were on fire. "You ain't protectin' yourself, Liz. What you doin' is called bein' a idiot. Y'all two showed up here at the same damn time, so ya came here tagether. That should fuckin' tell ya somethin'."

I crossed my arms. "And what's that?"

I haven't actually seen Jade lose her temper, but when she snapped at me, it was loud. "It should tell ya he fuckin'..." Cutting herself off when she realised she yelled, and caught the attention of _everyone_ , she pressed her lips together as she rubbed her fingers on both hands against her forehead like she was trying to rub away the tension that was behind her closed eyes.

She scrubbed her face with her palms, letting out a long, hard breath from her nose, and clicked her tongue as she opened her eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. "It should tell ya he wants ta be the one ta protect ya. You young, so you stupid; it the way the world works, Dolly, so come ta grip with that shit right now. You ain't got the experience ta see shit for what it is, but I'm tellin' ta, cause I've seen it, he look at you like you the one that hangs the damn stars in the sky." Then, she backed off, but left me with one more piece of parting advice. "You ain't protectin' yaself, Lizzy. You denyin' yaself somethin' ya want 'cause some cocksucka was a cocksucka. Cocksuckas are cocksuckas; they don't know how ta be nothin' else, and they everywhere. You gonna be dealin' with 'em til the day ya die. Don't mean you throw ya life away cause a one, cause if ya do, you ain't ever gonna live, Darlin'. All you ever gonna do is," she actually used air quotes, "'protect' yaself."

I cannot remember the last time I felt so fucking small. Never mind the fact I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that dressing down I just got was overheard by the one person I would have rather not heard it, I couldn't bring myself to let that knowledge sink in. I could only focus on thing at a time, and currently, it was was the fact Jade was walking away after yelling at me like that.

I also knew, somewhere in the back of my mind, letting her do so with a Volturi in the area, regardless of Peter telling me he was here to help, was the best thing I could do. However, I couldn't stop myself. I tried, I did, but, and without my permission, my head turned to the side, and I actually whimpered. "Jade..."

Once again, she cut me off, only this time, she just turned back and held her arms out to the side, her eyes locking on mine. "You ain't special, Honey; no matta whatcha mama toldja, ya ain't. Bad shit happens, Dolly. Bad shit happens to good, decent people that don't eva do nothin' ta deserve it. Bad shit happen ta good, decent, honest people cause there bad people in the world too." Dropping her arms, she let out a breathless chuckle. "Matta fact, some would argue the more good and decent and honest them people are, the worse the shit that happen to 'em is."

She licked her lips, bringing her palms together in front of her lips as she made her way back to me. Her green eyes were thoughtful, and her voice was kind of preachy. "Somethin' bad happened ta ya. Someone did it. There someone ta blame. There someone responsible for it, but Baby Girl, it ain't that fella over there. He didn't do it. Maybe..." She shook her head with a sigh, "maybe he and the other fella got somethin' in common. Maybe there something 'bout him that remind ya of the other fella. I ain't got no idea, but there somethin', and you the only one that knows what it is, so you the only one that can decide if whatever it is is somethin' so terrible, so... unforgivable, that ya can't stop this nonsense a talkin' yaself out a bein' happy 'cause of it."

It was then she smiled at me, her hands cupping my face and forcing me to look at her. "When them bad things happens, ya gotta make a choice, Lizzy. You the only one that can make it. No one can do it for ya. You gotta decide if you gonna let them bad things define ya, or design ya. It either gonna become who ya are, and it'll be all you ever gonna be. Or, let it change ya; let it make betta than ya were so _that_ bad thing don't happen again. That's life, Darlin'; it all about the choices we make. Sometimes it sucks. Sometimes it hard, and them cocksuckas make it harder... and it intentional on they part. It's how they shaped 'cause the choices they made. They let them bad things define 'em. They let them bad things become who they are. Now... it's your turn ta decide if you gonna do the same damn thing."

It was like a flip was switched in her mind and the most sinister looking smirk I have ever seen on her lips formed, and her eyes sparked as she stepped back and crossed her arms. "Ya know, Dolly, I'm pretty sure if ya asked, if ya told him what happened and who it was that done it, Peter beat the dog shit out of 'em." A giggle entered her voice as she walked backwards. "Fucker looks like a scraper ta me." She grinned, presented that crumpled up hundred dollar bill, sapped it between her fingers, and winked at me as she dropped it into the tip bucket on the back counter of the bar before turning and heading to the other side of the bar where someone was waiting for a refill.

 **PPOV**

For the last forty-five minutes, give or take, I watched as Bella all but rip her hair out after she was done getting taken to task by Jade, and it was the hardest thing I had I had done in a while. Demetri wouldn't let me go talk to her, getting in my way while shaking his head. He didn't say anything, but his eyes said enough. He was willing to physically prevent me from going anywhere near my human if need be, and one time he did it, I actually hit him. Though he growled at me with a snap of his teeth, he stood his ground, and I decided I liked him a lot less than I did prior to it.

She was crying for fuck sake. Someone needed to do something.

" _Go get some air, Dolly."_

Looking back to the bar, my eyes followed Bella as she all but ran from where she was to the door. And, once again, Demetri was there to block my path from going after her.

His eyes were black and narrowed, his voice daring me to disobey. "Stand down, Captain."

Pointing a finger in his face, I snarled at him. "I said don't call me that. I ain't the Captain no more."

He just crossed his arms. "Then don't act like him." I'm not sure how someone shorter than you can actually look down their nose to you, but this mother fucker had a patent on that shit. "You cannot help her right now. This is her fight, and, yes, she might lose, but you cannot interfere. All you will do if you do is reinforce the mindset she cannot make decisions for herself, that someone else must make them for her, and in the end, all that will be done is change who she looks to, to do that."

Growling low in my chest, I snapped at him again. "I don't like you."

He just shrugged. "I don't give a shit. You don't have to like me, but if you care about her at all, you will stand down. I'm sure this is tearing her apart, but here's the thing; there is a war waging inside her head. She is battling against herself, and yes, there is the possibility this could all be for not and nothing will change, but _no one_ can make that decision but her. It's a different kind, but make no mistake about the fact this is a fight for her life; to take it back from the one that stole it from her. I never said this would be easy. I never made you that promise, because I knew it wouldn't be. No male likes to see his female upset, Peter, but if you want was done to be undone, you have to give her what is necessary for it to happen. I'm not sure how you thought this shit was done, if you just thought time away from Cullen was all that was needed, but it's not."

I scoffed. "I don't like it."

He nodded once. "That's because for the first time in your life, you're powerless, helpless. That's what you don't like. You don't like the fact you can't do anything but wait, which, truthfully, has never been one of your strong suits. This isn't a 'shoot now and ask questions later' situation, Peter. It's a 'sit on your hands' one, and you have never had to do that before. I'm sure this is immensely difficult for you, but this isn't about you. This is about her, and as I said, if you care about her, even a little, you'll give this to her."

The feeling of defeat was a new one for me, but I certainly wouldn't ever forget what this feels like. "What do I do?"

"Just be patient, Peter, and give her a chance, because this is the only one she has. She'll either come to you when she's ready or she won't, but all you can do is be there if it happens."


	10. Chapter 10

**BPOV**

 _He wouldn't like it._

Yeah... and?

 _What would happen when he shows up?_

That's assuming he does.

 _There is no way he won't. He loves me._

Pushing myself to sit up in the bed of Peter's truck, I leaned forward, sliding my fingers into my hair and holding my head up by my roots. I needed the slight pain to find some semblance of balance as the world tilted around me. Everything was blurry, but I wasn't sure if it was from tears or the fact I couldn't actually focus on anything. I could feel the coolness on my cheeks when there was a soft breeze, so I knew my face was wet from crying, but I wasn't sure if I still was or not, which was kind of weird, honestly. One should know when one is crying.

One should also know when to give up, but hey... here I am, talking myself in circles over someone I don't actually want anything to do with.

I know I don't want anything to do with Edward. I know I never want to see him again, but there was this part of me that, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't stop from reminding me of all the good things, and all the good memories. I wouldn't tell anyone, but there was moment where I thought, just for that moment, of going back. I was dead now, so there was no excuse for him not to turn me anymore. He didn't want to end my life, well... that was already done, so really, there was nothing to end.

Yet, here I was still was, in the bed of Peter's truck because I wanted to sit down and I left my keys inside so I couldn't sit in mine. It was a nice night, as it usually was, I just stared at the stars, hoping they would guide me, but no. They just twinkled like they didn't have a care at all.

 _He loves me_.

Those three words were haunting, repeating in my mind, not letting me focus on anything else.

 _He loves me_.

He destroyed me, and I know that, too. He used his vampire charm to do something to me, and I _know_ he did it.

 _He loves me._

No, he doesn't. He loves the idea of having someone to worship the ground he walks on and kiss his literal ass.

 _He loves me_.

Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!

 _He loves me._

"God damnit!"

That was quite unwise. I'll have to remember not to slam my fist onto the floor of a truck bed again, because damn that hurt.

Holding my poor hand against my chest, I tried to rub away the fact I probably broke something as I dropped my head again, looking off to the distance at nothing. There wasn't anything around close enough to see in the dark. It wasn't necessarily in the middle of nowhere, but it was set away from everything else on the stretch of road it was located on. It was the last building on the road before you started driving through fields to either side of the road. If you kept driving past Dom's, you would eventually pass Peter's ranch that was about fifteen miles out. You couldn't see the main house from the road, which was by design so he could be out during the day, because shockingly enough, he had horses.

I couldn't help but giggle at the memory of the first time he let me ride one. He asked if had ever done it before, and I had a couple of times when I was a kid. He stood back and let me attempt to saddle a mare, who he decided not to tell me had one hell of a personality and didn't like anyone, at all, other than Peter. Her name was Bunny, and it was fitting. If anyone got near her with anything other than a handful of sugar cubes, she would hop, like a fucking bunny, so you couldn't touch her. I looked at him with wide eyes, because I had never seen a horse do that before, and he had the widest smile on his face as his shoulders shook from silent laughter. It wasn't until I asked if I broke her he actually laughed, and it was almost a magical sound. It was deep and so completely carefree, it drew me in and I smiled at him, despite the fact he was all but falling on the ground laughing at me with nothing holding him up but his fingers that were wrapped around a ceiling post.

Eventually, he had gotten control of himself and walked over to Bunny's pin, pointed a finger at her, said 'knock it off', and I'll be damned if she didn't do it. She bobbed a couple of more times before she actually nodded her fucking head. She then let me saddle her as he rubbed her nose, though I can't say she particularly cared for me. When she had a bit of a hissy when I tried to get settled, Peter actually had to catch me when I lost my center of balance. He gave the brat the stink eye, put me on my feet, grabbed a long sleeve flannel shirt that was hanging on a hook and slipped it on, leaving it unbuttoned, before hoisting himself onto her back. She tried the same shit with him, and he just rolled with it, pulling at the reins and forcing her to bend to his will instead of her doing whatever the hell she wanted.

Once she quit trying to toss him off, he patted her neck, calling her a 'good girl', and moved the bandana from around her neck to over his nose before settling his hat in such a way that it would set what of his face that wasn't covered into shadow before helping me onto Bunny behind him. I asked if it was too much weight for her and after he told me no, he wrapped my arms around his waist, snapped the reins, and we were off.

I had never ridden a horse with someone else before, and it was one of the funnest things I had ever done. It took me some time to get into groove of Peter's movements, the roll of his hips in time with Bunny's leaps and jumps because damn if that horse wasn't on crack or some animal equivalent. He drove her pretty hard at first, letting up when he got to the back of his property before he dismounted and had me take over, something Bunny didn't like anymore than I did. Peter just pulled the bandana down off his face, crossed his arms, and gave little directions here and there.

"Take 'er in the water." "Show the ol' girl who the boss is." "You ain't gonna hurt her, Darlin', but she'll buck ya if given the chance."

And she did, too. I went right over her shoulder when she kicked high with her back legs, but at least I landed in the water, or that would have hurt something awful.

When I surfaced, Peter was up to his knees in the lake, standing between me and Bunny, his hands up, 'whoa's, 'hey now's, and clicks of his tongue to settle her back down falling from his lips to get her to back up until I was able to scramble out of the way. Once he got her to stop rearing up and dropping back into the water without a care as to what she landed on, he looked over his shoulder at me, his eyes slightly wider than normal, and his voice carrying actual concern when he asked if I was alright. I was fine. Nothing was hurt but my pride.

I had no idea what caused her to act like she did, but it was Peter's guess something touched her leg and it scared her. It made sense. I wasn't a fan of things touching my leg when I was in the water either, so I didn't hold it against her.

That wasn't the last time he took me out riding, but it was the last time I tried to ride Bunny. That was clearly Peter's baby, and I wasn't one to come between a girl and her man.

A hard throb in my wrist brought me back to myself, and I whimpered due to the pain, but that memory with Peter stayed with me. Little details stuck out, and I compared it to some of the things I had done with Edward. He never would have allowed me to horseback riding in the first place, but had I gotten thrown off a horse's back with Edward, that would have been the absolute last time it ever happened, regardless of I wanted to do it again. With Peter, we went back out the next day, just with a different one of his horses, because I wanted to.

Maybe Jade was right. Maybe I was holding the only thing Peter and Edward had in common against him, that he was also a vampire and thus able to do the same exact thing to me if he got it in his head to do so.

 _But Edward loves me. He just doesn't want anything bad to happen to me._

Oh... for fucks sake.

 **PPOV**

There isn't a whole lot that makes me crawl out of my skin anymore, but this waiting shit was gonna kill me... or Demetri. I was leaning toward that option when I heard my girl shriek and he once again stopped me from moving. In that moment, it wasn't about about interfering in shit. That was about making sure she was alright. All he said was there was no one there, so there was no cause for concern. Unless or until she physically called for help or actually called my name, I was staying put.

She hadn't been outside but fifteen minutes before she came back in, but that was the longest fifteen minutes of my life.

She didn't even spare me a glance as she made her way back behind the bar, her eyes cast to the floor with her arm held to her chest. From my place across the room I could clearly see the bruise that was working it's way to the surface, but once again, I was stopped from even finding out what happened.

I was gonna kill this mother fucker tonight, and could do it three times before the bar closed; four if I put my mind to it.

There was this look on his face, warning me to be patient, but that shit was for the damn birds. Growling at him, I knocked back another shot, and didn't even try to look like I was giving the two human females their assumed privacy when Jade inquired what happened to Bella's wrist as she made herself an ice pack out of a bar rag.

To the question, Bella shrugged. " _I hit the floor of Peter's truck bed a little harder than I meant to._ "

There was a hiss from Bella as a concerned Jade took her abused appendage in her hands. " _I think ya broke it, Darlin'."_

Once again, Bella just shrugged. " _Oops."_ She chewed on her bottom lip before she flicked those doe eyes of to me. I heard her sigh hard before she grabbed Jade's wrist with her good hand and drug her into the back where the storeroom was, probably thinking I wouldn't be able to hear her, but sorry for her, I could still hear her just fine.

" _What if you were wrong?"_

"' _Bout what?"_

" _Everything from before. What if you were wrong?"_

" _Do ya think I was?"_

" _I don't know what I think, but this is what I know. I know I can't..."_

" _I'ma stop ya there, Dolly, 'cause ya can. There a difference between can't and won't, and this ain't a can't."_

" _Alright... I know I won't be able to handle you being wrong."_

There was a snort. " _Ya know somethin'... ya think too damn much, Lizzy. There ain't nothin' wrong with puttin' thought inta whatcha doin', but Jesus Almighty, Child, do ya like ta beat a dead horse ta its second death. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I highly doubt I am. So, instead runnin' them circles you runnin', figure out whatcha scared of, Baby Doll. That's what stoppin' ya, and that, isn't somethin' I can help ya with unless ya tell me what happened before."_

" _I can tell you exactly what I'm scared of without doing that."_ There was a pause. " _I'm scared of you being wrong."_

There was another slight pause, and I'm not sure if I would say Jade was amused or bemused. " _In otha words, you scared he gonna turn ta down. That always a possibility I suspect, but you ain't gonna find out back here with me, are ya?"_ Pause... " _Do ya like the fella, Darlin'?"_ Pause... " _Do like that fella enough ta be with 'im?"_ Longer pause... " _If ya honestly don't know, then there ain't a lot I can do here, Baby Doll. If you just scared, then...Oh! Hows about, when the bar close, them boys come back ta my place too, and we just... have some drinks an' see what happens?"_

" _I uh... I don't know about that, Jade. Demetri is from Italy, which is a long flight, and you have one of those pretty early tomorrow morning."_

" _So? Honey, seven AM ain't that damn early."_

" _It is when we won't get out of here until three, and you're not done packing yet."_

" _Damn it."_ That was a voice of pure pout. " _I can always not go. Not like I eva liked the bitch."_

" _She's your aunt."_

" _She a dirty, rotten old hog that sat there and read a damn book as my daddy beat on my mama. I ain't all that sorry she dead. Hand ta God, I hope it fuckin' hurt."_

" _Then why did you agree to go?"_

"' _Cause my cousins alright, I suppose. I like 'em well enough, but I_ love _you, Dolly, and if ya need me, I ain't gotta go stand before Christ ta pay fake respects ta someone I ain't got no real respect for. Pretty sure that against some moral law, ta stand in the House a God and, ya know... lie."_

There was another lull in their conversation, and it was Jade that spoke again. "' _Ight, this what we gonna do. I'ma call the doc and let 'im know you comin' ta get that looked at, and you gonna go getcha wrist checked, cause it really do look like ya mighta broke it. While you doin' that, think 'bout the offer, and let me know whatcha decide when ya get back. If it gonna take longer than a hour though, call me so I know I'm shuttin' down alone. Sound like a plan?_

" _Sounds better than anything I've come up with so far. I just came up with breaking myself."_

" _Somethin' I don't think ya should really be doin', honestly. G'on; I got this place while you gone."_

" _Are you sure?"_

" _Honey, I been runnin' this place by myself for two years. Them boys know not ta fuck with me cause they also know I ain't too big ta kick 'em in the damn balls."_

It was another couple of minutes before Bella and Jade came out of the backroom, Jade with her cell in her hand and Bella with her hand still held to her chest with the makeshift ice pack against it. There were some parting words between them before Bella cut her eyes to me, her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes returning to Jade. "I'm just going to let Peter know what's going on, and I'll see you in a bit."

Jade didn't even look up from the notebook she pulled out from under the bar, sliding a finger down the page. She just flicked her fingers at Bella, before dialing her phone.

As Bella made her way from behind the bar and across the room, I didn't move from where I had taken up residence when she came back inside. I was still leaning back against the side of the pool table with my arms and ankles crossed. She looked like she was thinking about something pretty damn hard, but when she got closer, she lifted her eyes from the floor and looked up at me. I didn't give any indication that I heard what she clearly didn't want me to, and she let out a sigh.

"So... I might have broken my wrist."

Glancing at the aforementioned body part, I just hummed. "And how that happen?"

Her little nose wrinkled. "I hit your truck." When I snorted, she looked away. "I'm being sent to Dr. Devereaux to have it looked at and find out."

I just cocked my head to the side. "Want me ta drive ya?"

She was pretty quick to shake her head. "No, stay here. I'll be fine. It's just right up the road, I just..." she finally made eye contact, "didn't want to show up at home with a cast on my arm and not let you know what was going on beforehand."

I gave her a nod and stood up. "Then ya better be off, Darlin'. I can tell ya now ya broke it." When she raised her brow, I pointed to the back of the top of her hand. "I can see it right there."

She looked down at her hand as I moved around the corner of the pool table, snagging my cue that was next to me. "Well, shit. That sucks. I didn't even leave a dent, so that's hardly fair."

I turned my head to look at her, a smirk on my lips and I bent to take a shot. "Ya better not a left a dent in my truck. It didn't do nothin' ta ya."

Her nose wrinkled again and her eyes crinkled. "It was the floor of the bed, and I doubt you would have noticed it if I had." When I raised a brow at her, she huffed. "Shut up." She then looked at Demetri, who was sitting at one of the high top tables. "It was nice to meet you, Demetri."

He just nodded back to her. "The pleasure is mine, Stella."

With one last glance at me, she turned around and started to walk away, but paused three steps into her exit. She stood there for a moment, and if I was betting man, which I am, I would stay she had that bottom lips of hers between her teeth and her eyes searching the ground for the answer to the question that just popped into her head. She was a surprisingly hard human to read, so I wasn't really expecting her to turn back around and walk back to me while saying my name to grab my attention she hadn't lost.

Setting my hands on the side of the table, I remained bent at the waist, but looked at the human. "Yeah, Darlin'?"

There was a spark in the back of her eyes I almost missed before she lowered them slightly. "I um..." I heard her swallow back the lump in her throat and a slight strain entered her voice. "I just, uh..."

When it comes to me getting caught off guard, it doesn't happen very often, so when it does, I tend to freeze for a moment. Vampires can process a massive amount of shit in a single second, but in this moment, caught off guard, I couldn't process the fact that human actually pressed her lips to mine.

Maybe I could. Maybe I was more caught up in how soft her lips were than I was she had done it at all, but by the time my mind had caught up with just happened, Bella had pulled away, smiled at me, and told me she would see me later as she looked up at me with the brightest eyes I had ever seen. They contained the same reds and caramels as her hair, and they danced around each other in a hypnotizing fashion.

Those crystal clear brown pools of hers had always been so dull, hidden behind a veil put in place by someone I was gonna beat the dog shit out of. I wasn't gonna kill him. It wasn't my job anymore. I hadn't been an executioner in longer than I was one, and I just don't get the same kind of pleasure in a killing a vampire I once did. The thing was though, vampires could be broken into teeny, tiny little pieces and put back together again, and again, and again, and not die.

Death was certainly not the worst thing that could happen to one of us.

Finding yourself of the bad side of a sadist was.

I stood there, like a fucking idiot, for a solid three seconds before I blinked myself back to reality. Looking down at her, for the first time, I didn't see the meek little thing that showed up at my inn room door that first time, or the second when she was carrying on like the sky was falling around her. I didn't see the girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders. I didn't see complete confidence, there was a little fear in the back of her eyes, but it wasn't the same fear that had nearly crippled the girl into hiding in a house for days on end because she was afraid of repercussions. It was a fear everyone feels when they step out of their comfort zone and do something spontaneous.

Time to squash that shit flat.

Before her nerves could talk her into turning and bolting, I hummed in the back of my throat as I snagged her arm she didn't hurt and used it to pull her back to me, being extremely mindful of the fact she was holding her broken wrist. I could feel the smirk on my lips, see my reflection in her slightly wider eyes. I just clicked my tongue and tsked as I dipped my head. "That ain't gonna cut it."

I'm not sure if she really thought there was going to be a negative reaction or what, but a shot of shock passed through her scent and I heard her heart skip a beat when I captured her lips in a proper kiss. There was a fraction of hesitation on her part, but as the shock and nerves cleared her scent, she leaned into me, a quiet noise in the back of her throat as a soft growl sounded from mine.

I didn't push for anything more than that, but there was clear disappointment in her eyes when I pulled back. She looked up at me, and that disappointment melted away to something else as she cleared her throat. "Are you hungry?"

I just cocked a brow at her. "Not for blood. Go getcha hand fixed before I forget ta be a gentleman."

I watched as her cheeks darkened and she nodded as she backed away slightly, her lips tucked back and held between her teeth. She scratched her temple and cleared her throat again. "I'll... I'll just see you at home if you aren't still here when I get back."

I crossed my arms and leaned my thigh on the pool table, watching as Bella walked away. I wasn't going any fucking where.

Feeling the presence of someone beside me, I didn't look at Demetri, even when he started talking. "An hour and twenty minutes from start to finish. Not a record, but still very impressive." I felt his eyes on me, but I continued to watch Bella as she stopped by the bar, having a quiet word with an overly excited Jade. "She was harsh, but it wouldn't have worked otherwise."

No moving my eyes, I hummed. "I ain't ever heard Jade talk ta her like that."

"That was my fault. She didn't want to." Now I was looking at him, but he was looking at the ladies. "She needed to challenge Bella's way of thinking, and there isn't a nice way to do it. She wanted to do it a different way, but when her way didn't work, she did what she needed to do, and it did." He shifted his eyes to mine, "the best way to get a human that can't think for themselves to think for themselves is to get them angry. It's no different that combatting your sire's empathy."

Cringing slightly, I rolled my shoulder to try and get the tension that appeared in my next at the mention of Jasper's gift. He didn't use it like he used to, but he certainly still could. "Didn't know others knew how ta do that."

He snorted, crossing his own arms. "The Volturi know everything, Peter, but in this case, I've dealt with empathics before. It's not hard to figure out how to balance yourself against manufactured emotions by merely making yourself feel the opposite of what they want you to. It might not always be easy, but it is always possible. In the case of your human, anger is the counterbalance to the depression she's been feeling."

I rolled my eyes. "She been angry plenty."

He shook his head. "But not for the right reasons, though I'm sure perfectly valid at the time. She needed to be angry with herself, so much so, she would be able to actually take that step back and have a look at the situation through a different set of eyes. Whatever it was that gave her the push she needed is irrelevant. Had she continued to always make excuses, nothing would have changed, and eventually, she would have snuck away from you and gone back to the Cullens because she wouldn't have known better." He lowered his voice for the next bit. "Her scent told me more than you ever did of the situation. It wouldn't have been much longer before she gave up, for her to be drawn back to where she was convinced she was wanted. There was never anything you could have done for her because you weren't capable of crossing a few lines. That's not your fault, but it is the truth. You wanted to protect her, but that's not what she needed."

Then, he shrugged, his voice going offhand. "Our tactics might not always be the most desirable thing in the moment, but they are the most effective. It will still take her some time to fully reconnect with herself, but in the meantime, there is no reason you cannot attempt the groundwork for a future relationship. The only thing you will need to keep in mind is to _not_ get angry with her if she questions seemingly random shit or makes less than pleasant accusations against you."

I got his meaning. I was a vampire, which meant I could do the same mind numbing control shit Cullen had done to her. I wasn't stupid. I knew shit wasn't going to happen right away, but patience wasn't a virtue I was born with as a human or reborn with as a vampire. For the fact time wasn't a factor in my life anymore, I was impatient as a mother fucker.

But for her? I could learn.


End file.
